Luton-10
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The reality is that LLAL is expecting a massive increase in road traffic despite the Dart if a 32m Luton is approved, which is estimated at 60% but based on the original planned capacity of 36m passengers. Can’t think why that little gem is not mentioned when promoting the Dart.
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Indeed. We're so committed to getting people off the roads that we've recently approved a new dual carriageway that will whisk you to the new terminal 2 *cough*business park.
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And a 100m link road that breaches the Councils own local plan that was only adopted in 2017. That mere 100m of road is planned to put all the road traffic from the A1M and A505 onto local residential roads that is heading for Terminal 2. From having no need for a single set of traffic lights LLAL plans show 6 sets of lights in Wigmore. The application for this link was again approved allegedly for this business park but we all know the real reason.
At the same time the Council objected to Central Beds over their plan, since approved, to build a link road from the M1 junction 11A to the A6 claiming it would put extra traffic through March Farm, which is a notorious housing estate in Luton that always votes for the ruling party.
Two faced hypocrites and biased comes to mind.
At the same time the Council objected to Central Beds over their plan, since approved, to build a link road from the M1 junction 11A to the A6 claiming it would put extra traffic through March Farm, which is a notorious housing estate in Luton that always votes for the ruling party.
Two faced hypocrites and biased comes to mind.
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Construction update
Photos taken over the last few days
The final two pillars out of six, together with roof supports, have been erected at Parkway for the Dart station.

Escalator to Thameslink Platform 1 that serves London and routes to the South Coast. Platform 3 is used for the East Midlands non stop service to London.

The ground floor public area of the new build

The latest view of Central Station from the entry route after the road tunnel.

The roofs are almost finished with a missing section of yellow cladding on the far side.

The boarding has been removed from the terminal side. In the background MSCP2 is still closed. I mentioned before the issue with the fire escapes. Seems there are also issues with the electricity supply that trips when there is heavy rain including leaving the drop off zone in darkness
The final two pillars out of six, together with roof supports, have been erected at Parkway for the Dart station.

Escalator to Thameslink Platform 1 that serves London and routes to the South Coast. Platform 3 is used for the East Midlands non stop service to London.

The ground floor public area of the new build

The latest view of Central Station from the entry route after the road tunnel.

The roofs are almost finished with a missing section of yellow cladding on the far side.

The boarding has been removed from the terminal side. In the background MSCP2 is still closed. I mentioned before the issue with the fire escapes. Seems there are also issues with the electricity supply that trips when there is heavy rain including leaving the drop off zone in darkness

Last edited by LTNman; 26th Jul 2021 at 11:06.
The Netherlands makes it difficult for people to enter from the UK if you are a UK resident.... and the UK makes it difficult to enter from the Netherlands if you are a Netherlands resident.
With a route which is unlikely to see many pax connecting onto another flight, I'm wondering who is flying on LTN-AMS at the moment...
With a route which is unlikely to see many pax connecting onto another flight, I'm wondering who is flying on LTN-AMS at the moment...
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I know some here were critical of how safe the airport was during the height of the pandemic, well Public Health England and the CAA think it is doing a good job within the constraints it has https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/news/pe...asures-3325049
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I was watching the driverless cleaning machines a few days ago and wondered how many people this technology had replaced. It wasn’t that long ago the staff were striking for more pay. I guess they lost more than just a pay rise.
Machines in action at Luton.
Machines in action at Luton.
Last edited by LTNman; 27th Jul 2021 at 21:21.
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The raised canopy at Central Station looks like a petrol station forecourt but I would imagine most passengers wouldn’t give its design attributes a single thought. The real issues are the Dart’s eye watering costs, the inability to keep costs under control, its affordability and even should it have been built now before a decision is made on expanding the terminal.
LLAL are now working on a different time frame for expansion.
Phase 1 Passenger numbers capacity to rise to 21.5 million by 2029- 31 using the existing terminal
Phase 2 27 MPPA including start of modular T2 by 2033-37.
Phase 3 32 MPPA expanding T2 by adding a new module between 2040-2045 if the demand is there. New growth will not start until the previous levels have been met.
Who would fund Phase 1 seeing the existing concession agreement expires in 2031, as this would not allow LLAOL enough time to generate enough extra income from the investment?
Phase 2 and 3 would be under a different concession agreement with a new operator so who decides when work would actually start?
LLAL are now working on a different time frame for expansion.
Phase 1 Passenger numbers capacity to rise to 21.5 million by 2029- 31 using the existing terminal
Phase 2 27 MPPA including start of modular T2 by 2033-37.
Phase 3 32 MPPA expanding T2 by adding a new module between 2040-2045 if the demand is there. New growth will not start until the previous levels have been met.
Who would fund Phase 1 seeing the existing concession agreement expires in 2031, as this would not allow LLAOL enough time to generate enough extra income from the investment?
Phase 2 and 3 would be under a different concession agreement with a new operator so who decides when work would actually start?
Last edited by LTNman; 28th Jul 2021 at 04:27.
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The difference between the exiting shuttle bus drop off is that passengers walking to the terminal stay dry while the walk from the Dart is twice as far with sections of the walk with no weather protection. Still better than the walk from the drop off zone which seems twice as far.
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More in-fighting within the council https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/news/tr...b-dems-3326709
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From the article
Complete total rubbish. The Council had an emergency budget where 400 Council staff members have been made redundant due to what is happening at LLAL. Interest payments are costing £22m a year that could have gone to the Council as dividends, now the Council has announced there will be no dividends for years to come.
Notice of Meeting
Audit and Governance Committee minutes
The airport is screwed and so are the residents.
Councillor Malcolm added: "...This money is borrowed from the public works loans board. It’s not council taxpayers’ money.
“It’s not going to have any impact on our delivery of services and the airport company will pay back that interest.”
“It’s not going to have any impact on our delivery of services and the airport company will pay back that interest.”
Notice of Meeting
Audit and Governance Committee minutes
EY were expecting to receive the revised LLAL medium term financial plans that took into account of the outcome of the special force majeure negotiations with LLAOL, the latest forecasts of the project costs for the Direct Air Rail Transport (DART) scheme and the Development Consent Order (DCO), alongside the actions the Council was taking to mitigate the impact on its budget and financial plans. This was important to determine whether there was a likelihood that the £156million borrowing could occur or if this might be more pessimistic and could increase to over £200million.
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I wonder if it us to disrupt other operators or genuine research from bookings from STN route would benefit pax from not travelling to Essex?
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Pabely,
It doubles the W21 frequency; at present WZZ plans 5pw, EZY 2pw. Another unknown is the effect of the "new" Alitalia next month, which will not be operating NAP-LHR.
It doubles the W21 frequency; at present WZZ plans 5pw, EZY 2pw. Another unknown is the effect of the "new" Alitalia next month, which will not be operating NAP-LHR.
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As far as I can remember, the "old" Alitalia hasn't operated NAP-LHR for decades, and even then it used to be NAP-LIN-LHR and V/V with no guarantee that it was the same aircraft all the way, and indeed if the NAP-LIN was delayed, sometime the LIN-LHR portion wouldn't wait for the through pax, especially if the weather at LIN was a bit dodgy.
Last edited by geriatrix; 30th Jul 2021 at 20:58. Reason: clarification