Luton Airport’s delayed rail link, paid for by the Council, may open in 2023
The new transit rail link will connect the existing Luton Airport Parkway station to the terminal building, with electric trains running 24 hours per day. It will not operate until 2023 at the earliest, and an opening date will be announced in early 2023, though approved in 2017. Luton Rising, which owns the airport, said the delay was mostly down to revenue and ticketing arrangements. The rail link is called a DART (Direct Air-Rail Transit) and is an electrically-powered, fast passenger transit running on a 1.4-mile (2.2km) rail line connecting the station – part of the Thameslink and East Midlands Railway network – to the airport terminal in just over 3 minutes, replacing the existing bus transfer service. The airport hopes that passengers will be able to travel between Luton and London in just over half an hour. The total estimated cost of the project is £225m including transport system, station improvements and civil engineering works. The project is being funded by Luton Council and LLAL (London Luton Airport Ltd, the company that runs the airport) which is wholly owned by Luton Council. ie. it is entirely funded by public money, to assist the airport.
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Luton Airport: Delayed rail link due to open in 2023
4.10.2022 (BBC)
The new rail link will connect the existing Luton Airport Parkway station to the terminal building. The £200m transit scheme linking Luton airport terminal to the railway will not operate until next year at the earliest.
The Direct Air-Rail Transit (DART) system linking the airport with Luton Airport Parkway was approved in 2017 and due to open by the end of 2020.
Luton Rising, which owns the airport, [owned by Luton Council] said the delay was mostly down to revenue and ticketing arrangements.
It said an opening date would be announced in early 2023.
London Luton is the UK’s fifth busiest airport and saw 1.2m passengers pass through its gates in April compared with 106,000 in April 2021.
The DART is an electrically-powered, fast passenger transit running on a 1.4-mile (2.2km) rail line connecting the station – part of the Thameslink and East Midlands Railway network – to the airport terminal in just over three minutes, replacing the existing bus transfer service.
It is hoped that passengers will be able to travel between the airport and London in just over half an hour.
Trains on the new line will be automated and run 24 hours a day
Luton Rising, which is owned by Luton Borough Council, said the project would help to “reduce the environmental impact of journeys to and from the airport and congestion on surrounding roads” and improve the airport’s “competitive position”.
Chief executive officer, Graham Olver, said it was “one of the biggest infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Luton” and “signals our commitment to the ongoing success of the airport”.
“Testing of the system is significantly advanced, but there remain several important tasks that we are working to complete with our partners, which relate mostly to complexities and alignment of the system’s revenue and ticketing arrangements,” he said.
“This will also allow us more time to complete all the regulatory, operational and health and safety testing.
“We had hoped for an announcement of opening in 2022. We are eager to open the Luton DART and will do so as soon as we are assured that passengers will get the world-class service they deserve.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-63123791
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See earlier:
Luton Airport dismisses climate change as factor in planning inquiry
A public inquiry has begun into Luton Airport’s expansion plans. Luton Borough Council, whose company Luton Rising owns the airport, approved the growth plans in December. The separate private company that runs the airport, London Luton Airport Operations Limited (LLAOL), applied to increase passengers from 18 million to 19 million per year and to amend the noise contours. The government said an inquiry should review the main aspects of development. Three planning inspectors are expected to participate during the inquiry, Richard Clegg, Sheila Holden and Geoff Underwood. The agenda includes air quality, climate change, the impact of noise, sustainability, socio-economic implications, the influence of other considerations on the overall planning balance, and whether it would be consistent with the local development plan and other policies. It is unsatisfactory for the owner of the airport to also be its planning authority. Local campaign group, LADACAN, expect the hearings to shine some uncomfortable light how the focus has been just on maximising revenues, while ignoring other vital considerations, such as climate and environmental issues.
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