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Interesting comparison, bearing in mind the airport is capped at 18m, maybe soon to be 19m. The more passengers that swop to the Dart the less income the airport operator will take, as the biggest source of income is drop off charges and car parking.
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The drop off charge ( which is similar to LHR, LGW & STN ) is still good value if a family of 4 vs DART prices.
It is a choice.
It would be a good thing seeing less cars in CTA and more arriving by public transport.
As planes are getting larger with more 321s coming online the pax cap becomes a good argument to increase.
Airlines are moving to more LEAP technologies for better fuel and noise so argument for limitations on pax should be relaxed if they meet these controls.
It is a choice.
It would be a good thing seeing less cars in CTA and more arriving by public transport.
As planes are getting larger with more 321s coming online the pax cap becomes a good argument to increase.
Airlines are moving to more LEAP technologies for better fuel and noise so argument for limitations on pax should be relaxed if they meet these controls.
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Funny how the latest artists impression of a second terminal will end up looking like a tin shed. It is inevitable that the cheapest solution would be constructed.
I guess it was only a matter of time
I guess it was only a matter of time
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Good grief, that is an awful Artists impression of the proposed new Terminal.
Raised walkways that you can fall off the sides👍
This time you can hope it doesn’t end up looking like the impression unlike in the past.
Agree with Previous poster that the Parkway DART looks impressive, OK expensive project, at least it looks like how it was intended.
Raised walkways that you can fall off the sides👍
This time you can hope it doesn’t end up looking like the impression unlike in the past.
Agree with Previous poster that the Parkway DART looks impressive, OK expensive project, at least it looks like how it was intended.
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I agree, the Dart looks very impressive, the bridge is now like a Chameleon and can change colour at night, which is also impressive, which is why I provided the YouTube link. Will the Dart be a game changer? Yes I think it could be and hope it is, as the more passengers the Dart carries the less requirement there is for land grabbing car parks and road extra road traffic.
So what are LBC’s post Dart plans? To increase road traffic by 60% and double car parking spaces. Maybe they need a bit more faith?
Should I not challenge the financial cost to the town when the whole point of the franchise was to put the burden of risk and cost of infrastructure protects onto the airport operator? Clearly the Dart will be something the town can be proud of and if the airport operator had built it we would have ended up with an embarrassment. Maybe this is the justification for the Council picking up the tab rather than LLAOL thinking it made no financial sense so refusing to cough up the dosh.
So what are LBC’s post Dart plans? To increase road traffic by 60% and double car parking spaces. Maybe they need a bit more faith?
Should I not challenge the financial cost to the town when the whole point of the franchise was to put the burden of risk and cost of infrastructure protects onto the airport operator? Clearly the Dart will be something the town can be proud of and if the airport operator had built it we would have ended up with an embarrassment. Maybe this is the justification for the Council picking up the tab rather than LLAOL thinking it made no financial sense so refusing to cough up the dosh.
Last edited by LTNman; 2nd Feb 2022 at 10:04.
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Actually I have to say the artists impressions for the Dart from day one have been spot on.
On the other hand, with the LLAOL bean counters running and paying for the expansion of the terminal what we got was very different to the artists impressions, even when the project was under construction. I had high hopes but was left sadly disappointed. The Dart will though live up to expectations.
This was the first impression I saw before construction started.
This was the glass walled walkway from the car park. It ending up a dirty rusting mess on the inside with no glass.
Then we have the terminal and what I was expecting right up until the building was almost finished. A fantastic glass canopy that was never put in, only to be replaced by two dirty white canopies that extended out about 5 metres from the front doors. Also note the fancy looking matching walkway.
As for the inside, what happened to the ceiling that was never put in? Now I look at a terminal that still looks half finished.
On the other hand, with the LLAOL bean counters running and paying for the expansion of the terminal what we got was very different to the artists impressions, even when the project was under construction. I had high hopes but was left sadly disappointed. The Dart will though live up to expectations.
This was the first impression I saw before construction started.
This was the glass walled walkway from the car park. It ending up a dirty rusting mess on the inside with no glass.
Then we have the terminal and what I was expecting right up until the building was almost finished. A fantastic glass canopy that was never put in, only to be replaced by two dirty white canopies that extended out about 5 metres from the front doors. Also note the fancy looking matching walkway.
As for the inside, what happened to the ceiling that was never put in? Now I look at a terminal that still looks half finished.
Last edited by LTNman; 2nd Feb 2022 at 10:09.
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Consultations start again in the coming days for airport expansion. After attending one maybe two years ago I got the impression it was a consultation in name only and more of this is what we are going to do whether you like it or not.
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This is the published time line from the second consultation held autumn and winter 2019
Summer 2018 non-statutory consultation
2018 – 2019 Ongoing technical engagement and publication of response to feedback
Autumn/winter 2019 Statutory consultation * now
Early 2020 Ongoing technical engagement
Mid 2020 Submission of DCO application for consent
Late 2020 – mid-2021 Examination of DCO application by Planning Inspectorate
Late 2021 Recommendation by Planning Inspectorate and decision by Secretary of State for Transport
2022 Start of construction, subject to planning approval
The DCO process was costed at £50m, I seem to remember reading that this has increased to £70m, as a third consultation gets under way.
It is called a consultation in name only but is used as a reason for changing plans when propositions and proposals become unaffordable and not because of opposition.
Summer 2018 non-statutory consultation
2018 – 2019 Ongoing technical engagement and publication of response to feedback
Autumn/winter 2019 Statutory consultation * now
Early 2020 Ongoing technical engagement
Mid 2020 Submission of DCO application for consent
Late 2020 – mid-2021 Examination of DCO application by Planning Inspectorate
Late 2021 Recommendation by Planning Inspectorate and decision by Secretary of State for Transport
2022 Start of construction, subject to planning approval
The DCO process was costed at £50m, I seem to remember reading that this has increased to £70m, as a third consultation gets under way.
It is called a consultation in name only but is used as a reason for changing plans when propositions and proposals become unaffordable and not because of opposition.
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With todays announcement on energy prices and the general rise in the cost of living it is Luton’s passengers that will be the most affected as the airport has focused on the bottom of the market. I have already decided to only have one holiday this year and now I am thinking about staying in the U.K as food, heating and a mortgage comes before foreign holidays.
Expansion seems a long way off with the airport still operating on empty. On some days it feels like the country is still in lockdown due to the lack of passengers
Expansion seems a long way off with the airport still operating on empty. On some days it feels like the country is still in lockdown due to the lack of passengers
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You are being a bit hard on consultations. True outright opposition has limited success but it is possible to modify things for the better if enough people pick up on weaknesses.
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Don’t think I am being hard. I can’t think of a single example where the public has had any influence on LRT plans. Also there was no option on surveys to reject expansion.
The latest claim is that the expansion will now be in two phases. 18m to 21m is phase 1 while phase 2 is 21m to 32m. It was always in 2 phases but packaged as expansion from 18m to 32m.
Question. If phase 1 is part of the consultation why has the council already approved 19m passengers when that is part of the DCO to be decided by government?
The latest claim is that the expansion will now be in two phases. 18m to 21m is phase 1 while phase 2 is 21m to 32m. It was always in 2 phases but packaged as expansion from 18m to 32m.
Question. If phase 1 is part of the consultation why has the council already approved 19m passengers when that is part of the DCO to be decided by government?
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Who says this
?
The latest claim is that the expansion will now be in two phases. 18m to 21m is phase 1 while phase 2 is 21m to 32m. It was always in 2 phases but packaged as expansion from 18m to 32m
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All sources of information lead back to LBC or LRT. Think it was a reported as a news item on local radio.
As far as I can remember phase one is for the extension of the existing terminal. Think it will be 21m but might be 21.5m or possibly 22m but 21m is ringing a bell. Phase two won't be started for years, which is a second terminal plus new infrastructure. Also the plan is for a new concessionaire to pay and build it but the next concession doesn't now start until 2032. The extra year is part of the force majeure agreement. It wouldn't surprise me if LLAOL gets the new franchise without it going to tender so despite are the Council for expansion.
We also have to remember that a new Airbus A320 flight simulator has just been installed on the planned approach road to terminal 2 with a contract signed for a long lease on the building that would have to be demolished.
What is very strange is that in the time line shown in the last consultation document is that work should have started this year on Terminal 2, a full 9 years before the concession was due to end. So who was due to pay for that? I suspect maybe the Council was. Well that won't happen now after the auditors report
As far as I can remember phase one is for the extension of the existing terminal. Think it will be 21m but might be 21.5m or possibly 22m but 21m is ringing a bell. Phase two won't be started for years, which is a second terminal plus new infrastructure. Also the plan is for a new concessionaire to pay and build it but the next concession doesn't now start until 2032. The extra year is part of the force majeure agreement. It wouldn't surprise me if LLAOL gets the new franchise without it going to tender so despite are the Council for expansion.
We also have to remember that a new Airbus A320 flight simulator has just been installed on the planned approach road to terminal 2 with a contract signed for a long lease on the building that would have to be demolished.
What is very strange is that in the time line shown in the last consultation document is that work should have started this year on Terminal 2, a full 9 years before the concession was due to end. So who was due to pay for that? I suspect maybe the Council was. Well that won't happen now after the auditors report
Last edited by LTNman; 4th Feb 2022 at 09:17.
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A brilliant idea to link the Tinminal to the rail network, but not too sure the residents of Luton will benefit whilst the debt mounts.
If I was a potential concessionaire in 2032, will I want to stump up for something that by then is 10 year old and pay full price for it?