Luton Airport Parkway

[edwin_m]

There is certainly a problem at present with drop-offs and pick-ups at the hotel roundabout, caused by the airport charging people who drive any closer. If they are to continue this restriction and make the transit free then I agree the problem could move to the Parkway. The existing west side forecourt couldn't cope even with the shuttle bus gone, but a west side drop-off wouldn't work because the only way across the railway is paid.

They could build a drop-off area on the east side with the ramp and lifts to the shuttle being unpaid and a set of barriers at high level for those interchanging to/from trains, wihch would move the hotel roundabout problem to somewhere it could be managed better. Or they could just charge as suggested, in which case the station barriers would have to accept shuttle tickets too.

 

[Mikey C]

Not that I know of in this country, but as has been said earlier, the circumstances are different.

The Luton transit (ho!) will be more like the AirTrain at JFK in concept, albeit shorter, which charges $5 last time I went on it.

Part of the planning application for Luton suggested that the transit needed to be 'ticketed' to avoid people dropping airport passengers off at Parkway for a free trip and therefore clogging up the station roads and immediate vicinity. Also, counter-intuitively, charging may increase the public transport share. If it was free, then you can imagine that it would encourage people to drive to Parkway to drop off airport passengers. Assuming some form of ticket integration (as with the airport bus now), it will be a hidden cost for most rail tickets, and therefore passengers may be more likely to use it.

My guess is that the fare for the transit will be in the same ball park as the airport drop off fee, ie £3.

Surely the answer is then to stop charging people for dropping off passengers at the airport! Stick it all in the landing fees, it'll end up being paid by the passenger anyway

 

[baz962]

actually you can drop off for free in long term 2 hours and in mid term 15 mins and free bus to terminal

 

[Bald Rick]

Surely the answer is then to stop charging people for dropping off passengers at the airport! Stick it all in the landing fees, it'll end up being paid by the passenger anyway

Not enough space at the airport for it, given the number of passengers at the airport now. It is a very constrained site. I have been stuck in mile long tailbacks there at 0430 on a Wednesday morning.

 

[JaJaWa]

Interesting to see if they use orange National Rail tickets like the bus!

 

[edwin_m]

Bing Maps aerial shows a vacant site to the east of the footbridge where someone suggested the shuttle terminus would be. If this is still vacant then it could be used as a drop-off area, although the road access isn't great compared with the airport itself. And this wouldn't work if the shuttle was chargeable.

 

[Bald Rick]

Bing Maps aerial shows a vacant site to the east of the footbridge where someone suggested the shuttle terminus would be. If this is still vacant then it could be used as a drop-off area, although the road access isn't great compared with the airport itself. And this wouldn't work if the shuttle was chargeable.

That vacant site is going to be a large development. And to reiterate, the shuttle will be chargeable; I expect it to be the same arrangements as the bus is now.

 

[telstarbox]

Was there a bus link from Luton station to the airport before Parkway opened?

 

[Failed Unit]

Was there a bus link from Luton station to the airport before Parkway opened?

Yes - Don't remember how long it took.