Teesside-2
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Two things to be wary of. It could be a very good investment in rail infrastructure, should the ultimate plan be to convert the whole place into a new town/‘garden community’. It could also be a means of directing public money towards favoured recipients who will be doing the ‘works’.
Of course, there could be a genuine long term plan to develop north of the station for housing. But what is for sure is that this isn’t genuinely for the airport, and if it was there is no world in which this represents a responsible use of taxpayers money.
Of course, there could be a genuine long term plan to develop north of the station for housing. But what is for sure is that this isn’t genuinely for the airport, and if it was there is no world in which this represents a responsible use of taxpayers money.
Is the twenty million just for the airport station or the whole line? That would be interesting to know. For it to work they will have to build two new platforms and means to cross the tracks.
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Cargo
“If more passengers arrive by public transport the airport will loose revenue from the carpark”
At one time the airport promoted parking as a benefit. With the recent price hikes it’s now more expensive to park for at MME compared with NCL, LBA or even further afield. A colleague who uses the KLM link has stopped using MME for this reason as its not much further to head north or south and there is also less chance of being cancelled. What a shame.
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At one time the airport promoted parking as a benefit. With the recent price hikes it’s now more expensive to park for at MME compared with NCL, LBA or even further afield. A colleague who uses the KLM link has stopped using MME for this reason as its not much further to head north or south and there is also less chance of being cancelled. What a shame.
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Join Date: Nov 2022
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"For it to work they will have to build two new platforms and means to cross the tracks"
There is little doubt that the current station is beyond repair. The platforms are wasted, the decking is rotten and the bridge is heavily corroded.
The new station is required to be accessible to disabled people so that will mean either ramps as well as steps serving the footbridge or expensive to maintain lifts on either side of the bridge. The height of the bridge will have to be raised to accommodate future electrification of the line.
All good for photos again when the sun gets round on an afternoon unless there are officious parking restrictions.
There is little doubt that the current station is beyond repair. The platforms are wasted, the decking is rotten and the bridge is heavily corroded.
The new station is required to be accessible to disabled people so that will mean either ramps as well as steps serving the footbridge or expensive to maintain lifts on either side of the bridge. The height of the bridge will have to be raised to accommodate future electrification of the line.
All good for photos again when the sun gets round on an afternoon unless there are officious parking restrictions.
Join Date: May 2021
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With cost overruns in much of recent rail infrastructure, I wondered if the quoted £20m would be enough. Network Rail opts for a carbon copy approach to the new station design. You would think this should bring costs down, but when I looked at the costs of recent station openings, there is a massive amount of variance. Below is a list of station openings recently (Barring Brent Cross East, as it has been over-engineered, so it is an unfair comparator).
Some comments have been on whether Houchen may offer this money as jobs for friends. Anything on railway land must be designed and commissioned by Network Rail, including a selection of contractors. There will be more limited ability to play with pork barrel politics unless he uses a friend as a middleman, who then creams off a hefty commission.
- Headbolt Lane, £80m (https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.g...ing-approaches)
- Reading Green Park £20m https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-65698714
- Marsh Barton £16m https://www.business-live.co.uk/regi...eters-19624961
- Thanet Parkway £44m https://kentandsurreybylines.co.uk/b...il%20and%20KCC.
- Portway Park & Ride £5.8m https://busandtrainuser.com/2023/07/...ay-on-the-way/
- East Linton £15m https://scotlandsrailway.com/project...%20more%20here.
Some comments have been on whether Houchen may offer this money as jobs for friends. Anything on railway land must be designed and commissioned by Network Rail, including a selection of contractors. There will be more limited ability to play with pork barrel politics unless he uses a friend as a middleman, who then creams off a hefty commission.
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With cost overruns in much of recent rail infrastructure, I wondered if the quoted £20m would be enough. Network Rail opts for a carbon copy approach to the new station design. You would think this should bring costs down, but when I looked at the costs of recent station openings, there is a massive amount of variance. Below is a list of station openings recently (Barring Brent Cross East, as it has been over-engineered, so it is an unfair comparator).
Some comments have been on whether Houchen may offer this money as jobs for friends. Anything on railway land must be designed and commissioned by Network Rail, including a selection of contractors. There will be more limited ability to play with pork barrel politics unless he uses a friend as a middleman, who then creams off a hefty commission.
- Headbolt Lane, £80m (https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.g...ing-approaches)
- Reading Green Park £20m https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-65698714
- Marsh Barton £16m https://www.business-live.co.uk/regi...eters-19624961
- Thanet Parkway £44m https://kentandsurreybylines.co.uk/b...il%20and%20KCC.
- Portway Park & Ride £5.8m https://busandtrainuser.com/2023/07/...ay-on-the-way/
- East Linton £15m https://scotlandsrailway.com/project...%20more%20here.
Some comments have been on whether Houchen may offer this money as jobs for friends. Anything on railway land must be designed and commissioned by Network Rail, including a selection of contractors. There will be more limited ability to play with pork barrel politics unless he uses a friend as a middleman, who then creams off a hefty commission.
Some comments have been on whether Houchen may offer this money as jobs for friends. Anything on railway land must be designed and commissioned by Network Rail, including a selection of contractors. There will be more limited ability to play with pork barrel politics unless he uses a friend as a middleman, who then creams off a hefty commission.
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"Next pet project apparently is a bridge or tunnel under the Tees…busy guy the mayor!"
It's for all of those people in Hartlepool who are desperate to escape to Redcar. Or could it be that there is an election coming?
It's for all of those people in Hartlepool who are desperate to escape to Redcar. Or could it be that there is an election coming?
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A second Tees crossing to take pressure off the A19 has been talked about for years although the number of houses that would need to be knocked down to accommodate the access roads will always be an issue. Based on the mayors FB video he does not seem to talking about that however.
Would a Hartlepool to Redcar car ferry win many votes perhaps?
Would a Hartlepool to Redcar car ferry win many votes perhaps?
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/t...n-63m-28346873
Teesside International Airport has drawn down more than £60m in loans out of a £88m taxpayer pot in its first four years. Annual accounts published online show the taxpayer-owned airport remained in the red - although the overall loss has dropped by over 60% from £11.9m in 21/22 to £4.5m the following financial year. Turnover more than doubled as international travel returned following the impact of the Covid pandemic.
By March 2023, the airport had drawn down more than 70% of the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) loans - which span until March 2029. The airport is ahead of a forecasted business plan to return to profit after being brought back into public hands for £40m in 2019. At the time, a further £35m was to be drawn down as required for the first decade to help fund the site through a TVCA loan.
Over the years, this has been increased to £64.4m - which comprises the original £35m loan and the two additional loans of £10m (approved in 2021) and £20m (approved in 2022) "required due to Covid 19 and the impact of the global pandemic on the aviation industry".
The day-to-day working capital requirements are met through cash generated from operations and utilising a loan facility provided by the Tees Valley Combined Authority, the accounts state.
The loans are being used to "support the expansion of Teeside Airport including terminal improvements, capital investments in the freight and new business park, operational costs including the general running of the airport and paying staff wages," an airport spokesperson says.
The accounts report states: "A [loan] facility for an amount of £23.6m which is due to be used to fund the Southside development is in place. The total amount drawn down at the year end under both facilities was £63.3m and further draw downs are forecast to be made over the next two to three years in line with the company's development and expansion plans."
The loan is repayable on demand but the airport received a letter of continued support for not less than 12 months from date of signing from the TVCA. The £23.6m loan to build the Southside business park - a £200m vision to create more than 4,000 jobs in the next 15 years - was signed off by the Tees Valley Combined Authority in late 2019.
Since the 2021/22 financial accounts were published - where £44m had been drawn down from both loans - a further £19m has been accessed by the airport. The airport spokesman added that, at this stage, loan spending plans remain "broadly within forecast".
"However, if additional funds were required it would be a decision for the Tees Valley Mayor and Cabinet which is made up of the leaders of the five Tees Valley Councils."
By March 2023, the airport had drawn down more than 70% of the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) loans - which span until March 2029. The airport is ahead of a forecasted business plan to return to profit after being brought back into public hands for £40m in 2019. At the time, a further £35m was to be drawn down as required for the first decade to help fund the site through a TVCA loan.
Over the years, this has been increased to £64.4m - which comprises the original £35m loan and the two additional loans of £10m (approved in 2021) and £20m (approved in 2022) "required due to Covid 19 and the impact of the global pandemic on the aviation industry".
The day-to-day working capital requirements are met through cash generated from operations and utilising a loan facility provided by the Tees Valley Combined Authority, the accounts state.
The loans are being used to "support the expansion of Teeside Airport including terminal improvements, capital investments in the freight and new business park, operational costs including the general running of the airport and paying staff wages," an airport spokesperson says.
The accounts report states: "A [loan] facility for an amount of £23.6m which is due to be used to fund the Southside development is in place. The total amount drawn down at the year end under both facilities was £63.3m and further draw downs are forecast to be made over the next two to three years in line with the company's development and expansion plans."
The loan is repayable on demand but the airport received a letter of continued support for not less than 12 months from date of signing from the TVCA. The £23.6m loan to build the Southside business park - a £200m vision to create more than 4,000 jobs in the next 15 years - was signed off by the Tees Valley Combined Authority in late 2019.
Since the 2021/22 financial accounts were published - where £44m had been drawn down from both loans - a further £19m has been accessed by the airport. The airport spokesman added that, at this stage, loan spending plans remain "broadly within forecast".
"However, if additional funds were required it would be a decision for the Tees Valley Mayor and Cabinet which is made up of the leaders of the five Tees Valley Councils."
It’s taken Private Eye a long time to delve into the airport finances..while not a high brow reputable publication..then again are any these days…it still makes interesting reading!
Worth a look!
Worth a look!