LUTON -8
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EMT has some of the longest journey times incomparison to other inter-city operators when you compare journey times to distance. This is due to the line speeds and capacity. They have made some big improvements to train times in recent years, but I barely think they will be prepared to have 80% of their services calling at LLA Parkway.
Saying that the Thameslink franchise specifies 2 trains an hour running through the night but that doesn't happen as many of the trains are cancelled allegedly due to a driver shortage.
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They will have no say in it as the new franchise agreement will be the bible as to how many trains stop per hour. Trains operators will then bid to run the service as laid down by the franchise requirement which will extend to several hundred pages.
I think the number of non-stop trains will increase , but not to four an hour like the airport wants.
Maybe the service that stops at Luton town might also make an additional stop at the airport too.
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The real issue is actually not the train journey (apart from cancelled trains overnight) but the final mile to the terminal. It's being reported today that due to the combination of Govia using some low capacity buses rather than pure bendy buses and the frequency of the service it was taking around 20 to maybe 30 minutes of queuing to actually board a bus to the terminal with passengers packed in like sardines this afternoon. I hate to think what it will be like in the summer.
The service offered by Govia is truly shocking and marks a new low for the airport.
The service offered by Govia is truly shocking and marks a new low for the airport.
Paxing All Over The World
Surely not the airport mgmt taking the lowest quote? Or not checking the proposal and contract in detail? 
Given that the size and style of the busses are the most important factors, one trusts they have a Plan B.
Given that the size and style of the busses are the most important factors, one trusts they have a Plan B.
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The service used to be provided by the airport but then the Thameslink rail operator took over. I can't remember if at that point a new fleet of bendy buses were introduced or if they first started off with standard buses and bendy buses came later.
Whatever the timeline at some point fares were introduced which slowed the whole process of getting to and from the station down but then the gradual introduction of low capacity buses were introduced. This might well have something to do with bendy bus breakdowns but with the standard arrangement of 3 buses operating at any one time I have seen some days when all 3 buses being used were low capacity. At other times there has been 1 or 2 bendy buses on operation but never 3. Even one of the replacement low capacity buses is in full shuttle bus colours so this is no temporary arrangement.
With passenger numbers increasing by 25% in the last 12 months the capacity of the service on some days has been halved. While it is great to see that the airport is planning to spend vast sums of money on a light rail scheme that if it happens will be around 10 years away they do nothing to address the issues of today yet their official policy is to increase the numbers of passengers using public transport.
Whatever the timeline at some point fares were introduced which slowed the whole process of getting to and from the station down but then the gradual introduction of low capacity buses were introduced. This might well have something to do with bendy bus breakdowns but with the standard arrangement of 3 buses operating at any one time I have seen some days when all 3 buses being used were low capacity. At other times there has been 1 or 2 bendy buses on operation but never 3. Even one of the replacement low capacity buses is in full shuttle bus colours so this is no temporary arrangement.
With passenger numbers increasing by 25% in the last 12 months the capacity of the service on some days has been halved. While it is great to see that the airport is planning to spend vast sums of money on a light rail scheme that if it happens will be around 10 years away they do nothing to address the issues of today yet their official policy is to increase the numbers of passengers using public transport.
Paxing All Over The World
So ...
- Introduce the service = pax happy.
- Introduce a charge = pax numbers drop.
- Reduce service because numbers have dropped.
- Expect pax numbers to increase?
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The shuttle to the terminal is part of the rail franchise agreement but the agreement was badly written as there is no mention about capacity on the route just the frequency. Govia could technically provide just a minibus to meet its franchise obligations.
Overnight Passenger Services to Luton Parkway Station
Luton Airport Bus Link
12.11 Subject to the approval of London Luton Airport Limited, the Franchisee shall:
(a) from the Start Date and for the remainder of the Franchise Term, introduce and operate a high frequency shuttle bus service (operating at a frequency of not less than 6 buses per hour in each direction between 05:00 and 00:00 and 2 buses per hour in each direction between 00:00 and 05:00) linking Luton Airport Parkway Station with Luton Airport (the "Luton Airport Bus Link"); and
(b) install a new customer information desk and ticket sales point at Luton Airport by 30 September 2016.
12.12 The Franchisee shall:
(a) use reasonable endeavours to ensure that on or before 30 September 2015 smartcard or smartmedia ticketing products (in particular ITSO Smartmedia ticketing and Oyster PAYG) can be accepted on the Luton Airport Bus Link; and
(b) operate the Luton Airport Bus Link in a way that is reasonably integrated with the arrival and departure of railway passenger services from Luton Airport Parkway Station.
12.11 Subject to the approval of London Luton Airport Limited, the Franchisee shall:
(a) from the Start Date and for the remainder of the Franchise Term, introduce and operate a high frequency shuttle bus service (operating at a frequency of not less than 6 buses per hour in each direction between 05:00 and 00:00 and 2 buses per hour in each direction between 00:00 and 05:00) linking Luton Airport Parkway Station with Luton Airport (the "Luton Airport Bus Link"); and
(b) install a new customer information desk and ticket sales point at Luton Airport by 30 September 2016.
12.12 The Franchisee shall:
(a) use reasonable endeavours to ensure that on or before 30 September 2015 smartcard or smartmedia ticketing products (in particular ITSO Smartmedia ticketing and Oyster PAYG) can be accepted on the Luton Airport Bus Link; and
(b) operate the Luton Airport Bus Link in a way that is reasonably integrated with the arrival and departure of railway passenger services from Luton Airport Parkway Station.
12. Overnight Passenger Services to Luton Parkway Station
12.1 To assist the Secretary of State in his decision on whether to continue to specify the Additional Luton Airport Overnight Services beyond the three year trial period currently specified in the Train Service Requirement and subject to paragraph 12.2, the Franchisee shall, on or before 30 June 2015 and every six months thereafter until 31 December 2018, provide to the Secretary of State a report regarding the operation of the Luton Airport Overnight Services for the six months immediately preceding the date of any such report. Such report shall include the following information:
(a) the best available estimate of the number of passengers using each of the Luton Airport Overnight Services (either to travel to/from Luton Airport Parkway station or other stations at which such passenger services call);
(b) the estimated revenue arising from the provision of each of the Luton Airport Overnight Services;
(c) the costs to the Franchisee for the operation of each of the Luton Airport Overnight Services; and
(d) any other relevant information in respect of the operation of the Luton Airport Overnight Services that the Secretary of State may reasonably require from time to time.
12.2 The Secretary of State may require the Franchisee to provide the reports referred to in paragraph 12.1 at such other regular intervals as the Secretary of State may notify to the Franchisee provided that any such requirement shall not result in the Franchisee having to provide any more reports than those required pursuant to paragraph 12.1.
12.3 At the request of the Secretary of State the Franchisee shall, within 20 working days from the date of any such request, provide to the Secretary of State an estimate of the costs and revenues for the continued provision of the Additional Luton Airport Overnight Services (either in the form specified in the applicable Train Service Requirement or in a modified form) beyond December 2018.
12.4 For the purposes of this paragraph 12:
(a) “Additional Luton Airport Overnight Services” means such of the railway passenger services arriving at, or departing from, Luton Airport parkway station between 0000 and 0700 (in both directions) as are required to be operated by the Franchisee only from the Passenger Change Date commencing in December 2015 until the Passenger Change Date commencing in December 2018;
(b) “Existing Luton Airport Overnight Services” means such of the railway passenger services arriving at, or departing from, Luton Airport parkway station between 0000 and 0700 (in both directions) as are required to be operated by the Franchisee from the Start Date; and
(c) “Luton Airport Overnight Services” means the Additional Luton Airport Overnight Services and the Existing Luton Airport Overnight Services.
12.1 To assist the Secretary of State in his decision on whether to continue to specify the Additional Luton Airport Overnight Services beyond the three year trial period currently specified in the Train Service Requirement and subject to paragraph 12.2, the Franchisee shall, on or before 30 June 2015 and every six months thereafter until 31 December 2018, provide to the Secretary of State a report regarding the operation of the Luton Airport Overnight Services for the six months immediately preceding the date of any such report. Such report shall include the following information:
(a) the best available estimate of the number of passengers using each of the Luton Airport Overnight Services (either to travel to/from Luton Airport Parkway station or other stations at which such passenger services call);
(b) the estimated revenue arising from the provision of each of the Luton Airport Overnight Services;
(c) the costs to the Franchisee for the operation of each of the Luton Airport Overnight Services; and
(d) any other relevant information in respect of the operation of the Luton Airport Overnight Services that the Secretary of State may reasonably require from time to time.
12.2 The Secretary of State may require the Franchisee to provide the reports referred to in paragraph 12.1 at such other regular intervals as the Secretary of State may notify to the Franchisee provided that any such requirement shall not result in the Franchisee having to provide any more reports than those required pursuant to paragraph 12.1.
12.3 At the request of the Secretary of State the Franchisee shall, within 20 working days from the date of any such request, provide to the Secretary of State an estimate of the costs and revenues for the continued provision of the Additional Luton Airport Overnight Services (either in the form specified in the applicable Train Service Requirement or in a modified form) beyond December 2018.
12.4 For the purposes of this paragraph 12:
(a) “Additional Luton Airport Overnight Services” means such of the railway passenger services arriving at, or departing from, Luton Airport parkway station between 0000 and 0700 (in both directions) as are required to be operated by the Franchisee only from the Passenger Change Date commencing in December 2015 until the Passenger Change Date commencing in December 2018;
(b) “Existing Luton Airport Overnight Services” means such of the railway passenger services arriving at, or departing from, Luton Airport parkway station between 0000 and 0700 (in both directions) as are required to be operated by the Franchisee from the Start Date; and
(c) “Luton Airport Overnight Services” means the Additional Luton Airport Overnight Services and the Existing Luton Airport Overnight Services.
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Thameslink
Meanwhile, Thameslink are consulting on changing the way they staff stations. Luton Airport Parkway has been identified as a 'Model 2 station' where "more than 12 tickets are sold per hour at these stations but still the majority of customers use ticket machines and other ways to pay". At these stations they propose to relocate the ticket selling equipment to a 'station hosting point' so the staff are available on the concourse, able to sell tickets for longer than today. They propose to move staff onto the concourse as ‘Station Hosts’. Station Hosts will be visible and available from first service until the last, which is longer than current ticket office hours in many cases; trained in customer service; able to sell tickets and provide information using a new handheld device and helping passengers use the ticket machines.
So they are basically planning to replace the current ticket counters (which are not 24 hours), with ticket machines only, but some staff 24 hours.
I can see pros and cons here. I wonder how many people turning up at the station have already bought their train tickets either online, on the plane or at the airport. Whenever I see a shuttle bus turning up a good proportion of people seem to queue up at the ticket desk.
So they are basically planning to replace the current ticket counters (which are not 24 hours), with ticket machines only, but some staff 24 hours.
I can see pros and cons here. I wonder how many people turning up at the station have already bought their train tickets either online, on the plane or at the airport. Whenever I see a shuttle bus turning up a good proportion of people seem to queue up at the ticket desk.
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easyjet summer 2016
Lee Baker Street
Re post 3778.
I copied out the second week in June schedule and 20 based in the week.
I haven't sorted it out in respect of gaps but a 20th does appear to operate out all day on a Monday and Tuesday (Malaga).
Pete
Re post 3778.
I copied out the second week in June schedule and 20 based in the week.
I haven't sorted it out in respect of gaps but a 20th does appear to operate out all day on a Monday and Tuesday (Malaga).
Pete
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The former Britannia Airways building that was converted into a FBO for Ocean Sky, who was taken over by Landmark Aviation before they were taken over by Signature has now been fully signed as Signature Terminal 2.
Also hangar 8 and 9 which is just 1 hangar that used to belong to Monarch before it became a hangar for Ocean Sky and Landmark has also received new signage over the hangar door.
With Signature Terminal 1 basically portocabins while their new FBO is being built we will have to wait and see if they keep Terminal 2 for the long term and whether they keep both their hangars which is the one that has just been built by cargo and hangar 8 and 9 by stand 10 on the main apron.
Certainly the two former Landmark aprons will be a prized asset with the loss of stands 16 and 17 this summer.
With easyjet looking for a new HQ around Luton could this be an opportunity for them to pick up a hangar for their airbus fleet, which would allow hangar 89 to be demolished so freeing up valuable CTA land for a possible light railway station or future baggage hall extension on the assumption that Signature did release a hangar.
Also hangar 8 and 9 which is just 1 hangar that used to belong to Monarch before it became a hangar for Ocean Sky and Landmark has also received new signage over the hangar door.
With Signature Terminal 1 basically portocabins while their new FBO is being built we will have to wait and see if they keep Terminal 2 for the long term and whether they keep both their hangars which is the one that has just been built by cargo and hangar 8 and 9 by stand 10 on the main apron.
Certainly the two former Landmark aprons will be a prized asset with the loss of stands 16 and 17 this summer.
With easyjet looking for a new HQ around Luton could this be an opportunity for them to pick up a hangar for their airbus fleet, which would allow hangar 89 to be demolished so freeing up valuable CTA land for a possible light railway station or future baggage hall extension on the assumption that Signature did release a hangar.
Last edited by LTNman; 9th Mar 2016 at 13:40.
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Can't see why not if the airport has a better use for the land. I think the hangar is still owned by the airport anyway and its location in the CTA is not ideal. Also with only around a dozen parking bays by the hangar a new tenant would have the same issues regarding off airport parking for its staff.
Anyone parking outside the hangar from the end of the year will have to pass through a pay barrier to get out of the CTA. I don't know if they would be exempt but it would still be a pain to get out even with a token.
Anyone parking outside the hangar from the end of the year will have to pass through a pay barrier to get out of the CTA. I don't know if they would be exempt but it would still be a pain to get out even with a token.
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The way the airport has evolved, it does feel like Hangar 89 has outgrown its usefulness. Where once it sat comfortably within its surroundings it now feels in the way - an area that could be used to create more terminal space and provide room for the railway link.
Hopefully a solution can be found for easyJet to enable the case for demolition
Hopefully a solution can be found for easyJet to enable the case for demolition
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A very good summery by wallp . I think a move by easyjet is still two or three years away and the hot new location will be close to Parkway. The old Vauxhall site now has the diggers in after laying empty for around 10 years and with it being a Government Enterprise zone it is a no brainer to think that Easyjet's HQ will end up there.
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London Luton Airport (LLA) is one of Europe's fastest growing airports after experiencing close to a 30% rise in passenger numbers last month.
An extra day in February certainly helped, but the leap year alone does not solely explain the gateway's 27.7% upturn in traffic, its 23 consecutive month of passenger growth.
A total of 870,000 passengers passed through its facilities in February, which the airport puts fown to a fast expandig route network and the growing popularity of European city breaks.
The number of travellers flying to Copenhagen more than doubled in comparison with the same month last year, for example, while over 50% more passengers flew to Rome and a third more travelled to Zurich.
Luton Airport take off
LLA is also quick to point out that travellers are benefiting from an ever-expanding choice of routes. This month alone will see the launch of six new services to Amsterdam and Barcelona (Vueling); Kaunas and Palanga (Wizz Air); Jersey (easyJet); and Turin (Blue Air).
Kaunas 5 weekly + 3 extra Ryanair flights
Turin looks 4 weekly flights
Jersey 5 weekly
Palanga 2 weekly
An extra day in February certainly helped, but the leap year alone does not solely explain the gateway's 27.7% upturn in traffic, its 23 consecutive month of passenger growth.
A total of 870,000 passengers passed through its facilities in February, which the airport puts fown to a fast expandig route network and the growing popularity of European city breaks.
The number of travellers flying to Copenhagen more than doubled in comparison with the same month last year, for example, while over 50% more passengers flew to Rome and a third more travelled to Zurich.
Luton Airport take off
LLA is also quick to point out that travellers are benefiting from an ever-expanding choice of routes. This month alone will see the launch of six new services to Amsterdam and Barcelona (Vueling); Kaunas and Palanga (Wizz Air); Jersey (easyJet); and Turin (Blue Air).
Kaunas 5 weekly + 3 extra Ryanair flights
Turin looks 4 weekly flights
Jersey 5 weekly
Palanga 2 weekly