PLANS for a £200 million transport system linking Luton Airport (LLA) with Luton Airport Parkway railway station have been submitted, the airport’s owner London Luton Airport Ltd (LLAL) announced today.
The mass passenger transit (MPT) system will enable access from central London to the UK’s fifth biggest and fastest-growing major airport in 30 minutes, with a transfer time of five minutes from Luton Airport Parkway to the airport terminal.
If plans are given the green light, the travel time from St Pancras to the airport would beat Liverpool Street to Stansted by 20 minutes, and be faster than Victoria to Gatwick too.
LLAL, wholly-owned by Luton Borough Council, will fund the scheme under its capital programme.
“London Luton Airport is experiencing unparalleled success, with a 44 per cent increase in passenger numbers since 2014,” said Cllr Andy Malcolm, Chair of LLAL and the Council’s Portfolio Holder for finance.
“Along with the £110m transformation of the airport, the MPT will make sure the passenger experience we provide is world-class, and combined will support ongoing growth to 18 million passengers per year by 2021.
“The submission of our planning application is the most significant moment yet in the ongoing £1.5bn transformation of our town under the exciting and ambitious Luton Investment Framework.
“It opens up opportunities for development throughout the London Luton Airport Enterprise Zone and confirms our confidence in Luton’s potential for economic and employment growth.”
The MPT system will be a fully-automated, two-way and capable of running 24 hours a day between dedicated stations at a proposed business park called Stirling Place and the terminal.
Cllr Hazel Simmons, Leader of Luton Borough Council, said: “It is fantastic to see plans for the MPT being submitted.
“Luton is not content to dwell on public sector spending reductions. Instead we are focused on creating the most positive climate for inward investment so that life opportunities for people in Luton can continue to surpass the most ambitious of expectations.”
Nick Barton, CEO of London Luton Airport Operations Ltd (LLAOL), said: “We are investing £110m to transform the airport and improve the experience for passengers inside the terminal. Improving accessibility, particularly rail links, is equally crucial for the airport’s development.
“We are already working to secure four fast trains per hour to Luton Airport Parkway station as part of the new East Midlands rail franchise. The creation of a mass passenger transit link between Parkway and the terminal will be a key milestone in the airport’s transformation.”
Neil Slaven, Commercial Manager of easyJet, said: “easyJet welcomes the plan for a new direct rail link connecting Luton Airport Parkway train station with the airport. We already encourage our passengers to travel by rail, offering them the opportunity to purchase tickets on board and we hope the number of easyJet passengers at London Luton Airport who arrive by rail will increase with the new, faster link to the airport.
“We now fly over six million passengers a year to and from London Luton as the number one airline at the airport. The redevelopment of the airport was a key factor in our commitment to double our passenger numbers over the next 10 years.”
Bedfordshire On Sunday
