Leeds Bradford: Infrastructure & Construction Updates

[ls27]

I see that there is movement to get (London!) Manston going again inspite of a High Court Ruling that it could not be resurrected. I believe this is Government involvement. Terminal improvement and apron and runway also to be brought up to scratch. No further comment

 

[A400]

All way off on this, the Local Governent proposed the airport road! Think the word blinkered is one that springs to mind. You need to look at the dates it was cancelled. All party MPs were against it!

Out of curiosity are you from that hateful group? GAL—

 

[White Heather]

Leeds City Council are Labour run. The link road was cancelled by them after a couple of consultations. The decision was absolutely nothing to do with the Conservative Government who have no say in local matters controlled by the Council, other than the Conservative Councillors within the council chambers, who generally have supported LBA. Their Mayor candidate, Councillor for Harewood, openly supported it.

The same Council that turned down the link road, approved the terminal despite opposition from all of their own party's MPs in Leeds. Labour in Leeds are not anti airport. In fact it remains their policy to support the development of LBA. Clearly there were some who opposed it, but others supported it and so did the Conservative members of the Planning Panel.

The only interference from the Conservative Government has been to delay without reason, then Call In the terminal, despite the fact that Stansted and Bristol and Southampton were all going ahead. The latter wasn't called in and allowed to proceed. Levelling up?? Don't make me laugh. Three Southern Airports expanding and LBA blocked by the man with a bottomless in tray, Michael Gove. We can blame the Tories for that, but not the link road canned by Leeds City Council because the NIMBYs objected.

However, the Northern end of this link road is still planned for construction, providing links to the proposed business park behind the Avro factory, and to the proposed Parkway Station and Park & Ride. Not that this will really do much for LBA traffic - although if course they are under pressure anyway to reduce the number if vehicles travelling to the airport.

 

[jfy1999]

Out of curiosity are you from that hateful group? GAL—

Let’s not make accusations without evidence please, remember forum etiquette.

 

[LBA4EVER]

The decades pass by and nothing ever changes at LBA apart from an ever increasingly congested terminal! The local councillors in our area should be ashamed of themselves, utter joke!

 

[XEROX]

To be fair I think they believe they are acting in the best interests of the city, it's just they are applying Labour party principles which I personally don't think are conducive to business.

Yet the Tory party are overseeing an economic collapse which is technically now in recession, the Pound has plunged to its lowest levels for 37 years...folks will blame Ukraine and lockdown, but many markers were evident pre-covid after the Brexit vote. Anyway, getting back to airport infrastructure related discussions, take note of the Airbus A380 test that occurred in May, it was a test flight with the Trent 900s powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel, we are literally 10 years away from eco fuel, 10 years in infrastructure isn't a ling time.... Point being, you can't use the argument that planes in 10 years are going to be bad for the environment because they are not, and policy makers and politicians will be swayed on this, as will the voters.

 

[A400]

Let’s not make accusations without evidence please, remember forum etiquette.

What accusation? I was simply asking a question.

 

[jfy1999]

What accusation? I was simply asking a question.

It may not have been your intent to accuse but theres always the chance that the person on the receiving end will interpret it as such.

 

[Airambiant]

Out of curiosity are you from that hateful group? GAL—

No I’m not against the airport at all. Have grown up near and use it. Just think it’s wrong to point the finger in one political direction when they are all to blame one way or other.

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

No I’m not against the airport at all. Have grown up near and use it. Just think it’s wrong to point the finger in one political direction when they are all to blame one way or other.

Which would be fair if, IF, Conservative had canned a Labour proposal. Sadly that’s not the case. Labour in Leeds are Anti Airport and Anti any infrastructure projects that benefit in some kind of way the airport.

The evidence of this is the ELOR. As I’ve already asked and for the third time will ask. What’s the difference between ELOR and the airport link road? As one’s rejected the others built. Yet both would benefit local communities so why is one rejected?

 

[White Heather]

Which would be fair if, IF, Conservative had canned a Labour proposal. Sadly that’s not the case. Labour in Leeds are Anti Airport and Anti any infrastructure projects that benefit in some kind of way the airport.

The evidence of this is the ELOR. As I’ve already asked and for the third time will ask. What’s the difference between ELOR and the airport link road? As one’s rejected the others built. Yet both would benefit local communities so why is one rejected?

Because one is East Leeds and the other North West Leeds, which has always been ignored for infrastructure purposes, not just relating to the airport.
Plenty has happened in East Leeds over the years, but virtually nothing on my side of the city with every single major scheme canned by either the city council, because if the vociferous minority of objectors in the area, plus costs deemed to much to justify, or by Central Government, going way back to Peter Walker (Tory) MP who blocked the runway extension in the 60s . We have had the Pudsey to Dishforth Motorway blocked, (which went right along the airport perimeter), the runway blocked, night flying effectively blocked once before we got it back, the new terminal blocked, no new roads, no dual carriageway Ring Road beyond the A660, the supertram (due to run to Lawnswood) blocked, the Trolleybus (due to run to Holt Park) blocked, and the airport link road blocked. The list goes on.
The Council Labour party, nor its previous councils of a different persuasion have ever given this corner of Leeds much thought . But Leeds Labour Council are NOT anti airport. They're just not up for the fight over infrastructure in this area. They approved every application by LBA in the last 20+ years - infrastructure they are not paying for, but can everything they are paying for. The West Yorkshire Combined Authority are no better. Their latest plans for mass transit mention Bradford to LBA via Shipley, but not Leeds to LBA, a shorter route and one needed even more. Let's see if they deliver on the Parkway Station!!

The blame lies with both parties as stated by Airambient. Labour MPs in Leeds are a disgrace and so is one particular influential Tory MP. Over the years the Tory Government has blocked everything in this area, yet their local Councillors in Leeds are generally pro airport.

Ultimately it's all about budgets, best value for money, who shouts loudest when objecting, and both MPs and Councillors in it for themselves rather than being prepared to fight for this area or the airport. Tracey Brabin is a good example. A new Mayor who kept very quiet over the airport terminal, offering zero support, then pronounced her shock and disappointment when LBA pulled it.

Only in Yorkshire!!_

 

[SierraHotel]

Anyway on a more positive note, within the next 18 months we should have a terminal capable of effectively handling 7m pax pa. The current facility is frankly embarrassing. Let's hope this will stimulate some much needed route development.

 

[ls27]

Well said WH

 

[Aviador]

The decades pass by and nothing ever changes at LBA apart from an ever increasingly congested terminal! The local councillors in our area should be ashamed of themselves, utter joke!

The council passed the terminal plans... I'm confused by your comment?

 

[A400]

No I’m not against the airport at all. Have grown up near and use it. Just think it’s wrong to point the finger in one political direction when they are all to blame one way or other.

Thanks for responding. That’s all I wanted to know. I wasn’t accusing you of that just simply asking!

 

[LBA4EVER]

The council passed the terminal plans... I'm confused by your comment?

Whats that saying, "you cant polish a t***" no where im going? Unless the exterior is changed dramatically as well the airport will always have its stereotypical old look/image.

 

[Len Fish]

Whatever your political persuasion it’s pretty obvious that large transport infrastructure projects in West Yorkshire have in the main been clobbered by central Government over many years, decades even. For example a tram system, trams in Manchester, Sheffield and even Nottingham but nothing in Leeds, the largest city in Europe without a rapid transport system, plans being consistently rejected centrally.

 

[Aviador]

No more on this thread about anti airport activities please. They get enough publicity through local media and I'm not prepared to see this platform used as free advertising for this bunch of NIMBYs. If you have access you can discuss this privately, here, if you don't, too bad.

 

[tonysmith]

HERE, HERE.

 

[Jetchaser]

So a real win in my estimations would be for LBA to release pics of the new terminal development as soon as they can to say we are working hard to accommodate more people in a good environment from across Yorkshire, and LCC announce they are moving forward with the parkway station also suggesting easier connectivity for the whole Yorkshire region.