Luton-10
A race to the bottom then. If T2 does get permission why even build a terminal, as a nice unheated marquee will do with a few outside portaloos if it knocks a few quid off the ticket price.
As a society we should be raising the game not accepting ever worsening conditions as the new normal in various aspects of our lives.
As a society we should be raising the game not accepting ever worsening conditions as the new normal in various aspects of our lives.
Spending 2 hours in a large unheated marquee in winter is not acceptable to any passenger, let alone for retaining employees. I don't think anybody is seriously suggesting such an idea. Beauvais airport management quickly realised many years ago that a marquee-as-a-terminal option was not viable long term.
Many people complained about the journey between the rail station and Luton airport... so hundreds of millions were spent on improving these conditions.. but you don't seem to think the money should have been spent.
If you want to improve comfort in the terminal... that means concreting over lots more green belt to get a bigger square feet per passenger number like that at Gatwick... but you don't seem to want that either.
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 12th Nov 2023 at 19:56.
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It only becomes an issue if there is a fire and people die. Talking of fire exits, 5 fire exits in MSCP1 have been padlocked shut since the fire in the multi-story opposite with no fire exits on the western side of the car park usable.
Last edited by LTNman; 13th Nov 2023 at 04:16.
Maybe also flag up the consequences of the fire in 1996 at Dusseldorf airport where many people died.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%BCsseldorf_Airport_fire
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A race to the bottom then. If T2 does get permission why even build a terminal, as a nice unheated marquee will do with a few outside portaloos if it knocks a few quid off the ticket price.
As a society we should be raising the game not accepting ever worsening conditions set by greedy companies as the new normal in various aspects of our lives.
As a society we should be raising the game not accepting ever worsening conditions set by greedy companies as the new normal in various aspects of our lives.
Kick out Ryanair & Wizzair and watch the place fill up with BA, Lufthansa & Air France.
Meanwhile in the real world.......
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We should be demanding improved conditions in the things that matter where you get bang for your buck across all stakeholders. Spending 2 hours in a large unheated marquee in winter is not acceptable to any passenger, let alone for retaining employees. Many people complained about the journey between the rail station and Luton airport... so hundreds of millions were spent on improving these conditions.. but you don't seem to think the money should have been spent.
If you want to improve comfort in the terminal... that means concreting over lots more green belt to get a bigger square feet per passenger number like that at Gatwick... but you don't seem to want that either.
If you want to improve comfort in the terminal... that means concreting over lots more green belt to get a bigger square feet per passenger number like that at Gatwick... but you don't seem to want that either.
The money for the Dart should have been spent but not by the town’s taxpayers when there has been a £187m write down. It has to be noted that the airport operator refused to fund it. Now I can’t think why that would be. Maybe something to do with the £187m write down before it even opened.
As for building on green belt to give passengers more comfort. This is not needed, just cut the terminal’s capacity to say twice what was said it would be when it was first built. 10m is a nice round figure. More comfort for passengers while almost halving pollution, noise disturbance and road traffic.
LTNman - I get that you mean well. Really, I do. But in life we have to pick our fights and choose the ones that we and our supporters can win. Cutting passenger capacity at LTN to 10m just isn't going to happen - there will be far too many and powerful opponents. We have to deal with whatever reality may be every day of our lives... a major rewriting of the UK's planning laws isn't going to happen any time soon.
Fire safety at LTN is a fight worth fighting and a fight that people will support... opponents will be embarassed after MSCP1. Scream, shout, twist arms, cajole, do whatever needs to be done - this is something worthy of your time.
Fire safety at LTN is a fight worth fighting and a fight that people will support... opponents will be embarassed after MSCP1. Scream, shout, twist arms, cajole, do whatever needs to be done - this is something worthy of your time.
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Why would council tax triple? LRT doesn’t pay the council any dividends anymore due to its massive debts while borrowing heavily from the Council while also having access to a £199m bailout fund.
Guess who is now looking like will fund the expansion to 21.5 million if approved. Here is a clue, not the operator so once again the risk falls on the town’s taxpayer. As with the Dart it could all end in tears even though the airport ends up with a nice new toy.
Last edited by LTNman; 12th Nov 2023 at 20:43.
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I am sure the issue with these doors will be raised at meetings with airport management by someone. So when is a fire exit not a fire exit? Answer, when they put a sticker over the green exit sign. Note the padlock.
Last edited by LTNman; 12th Nov 2023 at 20:50.
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By the direction of the pichure, exiting from that door you are going towards an area which is now deemed to be unsafe maybe? Another pichure through the window pointing downwards would be useful to see.
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Yes, I would say that is exactly the reason. So if there is a raging fire in MSCP1 what is more dangerous, MSCP1 or walking past the fire damaged but still standing MSCP2?
Looking at this Google street view, the fire exit route for MSCP1 hugs the outside of the building due to the railings so inside the building is deemed safe but outside the building is deemed dangerous. No doubt the railings were put up to stop people exiting the building in a hurry being run over. Oh and where are there a bank of EV chargers? Yes, on this side of the building 2 floors up.
Worth noting the identical building materials used for both car parks, built by the same company that went bust using the same construction methods. Now I wonder if the replacement MSCP3 will be a mirror of MSCP2?
Looking at this Google street view, the fire exit route for MSCP1 hugs the outside of the building due to the railings so inside the building is deemed safe but outside the building is deemed dangerous. No doubt the railings were put up to stop people exiting the building in a hurry being run over. Oh and where are there a bank of EV chargers? Yes, on this side of the building 2 floors up.
Worth noting the identical building materials used for both car parks, built by the same company that went bust using the same construction methods. Now I wonder if the replacement MSCP3 will be a mirror of MSCP2?
Last edited by LTNman; 13th Nov 2023 at 05:01.
The issue with the airport operator's reluctance to spend out on the DART is because of the franchise structure. Why would they shell out £200m plus when their franchise, and their chances of recouping their outlay (never mind making a profit) expires in a few years' time. I am unaware of any other item of national infrastructure that is based on this flawed model.
If you accept the premise that the council taxpayers of Luton have no responsibility to provide an important part of national infrastructure, then you should accept that a new owner is preferable. That owner, whether public or (preferably) private, can plan for the long term in the knowledge that their investment can be recouped either through trading or resale.
It's also interesting to note that AFAIK the "franchise" has never been contested, merely extended.
In addition to that, local authority ownership brings with it positions of authority for local government politicians. People I wouldn't trust to run a bath, let alone an airport.
It's time for a proper trade sale, to allow the council to recoup their outlay and repay their debts, and use the balance to establish a kind of "sovereign wealth fund" for the benefit of Luton council taxpayers.
If you accept the premise that the council taxpayers of Luton have no responsibility to provide an important part of national infrastructure, then you should accept that a new owner is preferable. That owner, whether public or (preferably) private, can plan for the long term in the knowledge that their investment can be recouped either through trading or resale.
It's also interesting to note that AFAIK the "franchise" has never been contested, merely extended.
In addition to that, local authority ownership brings with it positions of authority for local government politicians. People I wouldn't trust to run a bath, let alone an airport.
It's time for a proper trade sale, to allow the council to recoup their outlay and repay their debts, and use the balance to establish a kind of "sovereign wealth fund" for the benefit of Luton council taxpayers.
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Maybe that is the long term idea, and why they don't want to upset AENA during covid. Get the approval for T2 then put the for sale or 99 year lease up for grabs? Begs the question on what the price would be.
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No doubt not as much as they hope. The new franchise in I think 2032 is meant to clear LRT debts in one hit, which will pass £1bn if LRT have to fund phase 1. Pay LRT a fee per passenger and then they will be expected to stump up around another £3bn for something they don’t own.
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It’s not a planning application. Just like the DCO it would be classed as permitted development. This is why you shouldn’t get to excited about the detail of the DCO, as in reality it could be completely different, assuming it gets approved.
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Why is it in the Luton Planning Portal then and why would it be connected to the DCO, I would have thought that seeing this going ahead would be an advantage regardless of the DCO.
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In other news the UK next brand new Railway station Brent Cross West opens next month which puts proposed 6,700 new homes and new businesses in easy reach of Luton Airport.
Along with an upgrade to the existing Cricklewood Station this makes LLA more attractive to North Londoners.
Along with an upgrade to the existing Cricklewood Station this makes LLA more attractive to North Londoners.
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As I said before, the car park that burnt down was permitted development so didn’t need approval.
In other news the UK next brand new Railway station Brent Cross West opens next month which puts proposed 6,700 new homes and new businesses in easy reach of Luton Airport.
Along with an upgrade to the existing Cricklewood Station this makes LLA more attractive to North Londoners.
Along with an upgrade to the existing Cricklewood Station this makes LLA more attractive to North Londoners.
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Remember that there's no parking provided at the new station.
And of course it may be easy to get the train to LTN, but it's also easy to get the train to LGW....
And of course it may be easy to get the train to LTN, but it's also easy to get the train to LGW....