New study by London TravelWatch shows more airline passengers using cars or cabs to get to Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton
A new report has been produced by London TravelWatch. “Way to go: Improving public transport access to London’s airports“. It gives comprehensive details about the various components of surface access transport, with information on what works well and what does not for each airport, and current state of any improvements. The report indicates that airline passengers are more likely to travel by car or taxi to catch flights from Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton than they were 7 years ago, in a trend they say is “concerning”. Despite major investment in rail and coach links to the three airports, the proportion of passengers using public transport actually fell slightly between 2012 and 2016. But at Stansted, with accessibility improved by new coach connections, the use of public transport had improved. The proportion using public transport fell from 41% to 39.1% at Heathrow, 44% to 43.6% at Gatwick and 33% to 31.4% at Luton. Failings of public transport and the growth of taxi apps like Uber cited as reasons. Numbers using public transport rose at Stansted from 51% to 54.7% and at London City from 50% to 50.9%. Heathrow continues to encourage car parking, from which it earns huge revenues.
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More passengers ‘shun public transport and use cars or cabs to get to airports’
by JONATHAN PRYNN (Evening Standard)
18.1.2019
Airline passengers are more likely to travel by car or cab to catch flights from Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton than they were seven years ago, in a trend described as “concerning” by a new report.
Despite major investment in rail and coach links to the three airports, the proportion of passengers using public transport actually fell slightly between 2012 and 2016, the survey found.
The major exception to the trend was Stansted, with accessibility improved by new coach connections directly to Underground stations such as Stratford, Paddington and Golders Green. The report, from the London TravelWatch group, said the drop in passengers using public transport “is a concerning trend if the objectives of the airports and the Mayor of London are to be met.”
The proportion using public transport fell from 41 per cent to 39.1 per cent at Heathrow, 44 per cent to 43.6 per cent at Gatwick and 33 per cent to 31.4 per cent at Luton, with public transport failings and cab apps like Uber cited as reasons. It rose at Stansted from 51 per cent to 54.7 per cent and at London City from 50 to 50.9 per cent.
London TravelWatch wants improved interchanges, Oyster/contactless extended on national rail services and more use of contactless bank cards on local buses outside Greater London.
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The report by London Travel Watch is at
http://www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/documents/get_lob?id=4693&field=file
It has a lot on transport to and from Heathrow from Page 35 to Page 41.
And a lot of Gatwick from Page 41 to Page 46.
Then details on Stansted Page 47 to Page 49
and Luton on Page 50 to 52
and London City airport Page 52