Leeds Bradford: Airport Road, Rail & Access Issues

[White Heather]

The first new build Double deck Electroliners have started to roll off the production line at wrightbus in Northern Ireland. Some of these vehicles will have to under go testing doing about 500 road miles before deliveries can start to begin.

There is more branding sticker than paintwork!

 

[YorkshireLad]

That is abysmal. I genuinely think they would be better off taking the Eastern Airways approach - paint some aircraft, get bored, just send half the fleet out in all white

 

[rmack]

Anyone know whether a limited stop service to the airport is planned.
Some time ago I took the Bradford to airport service via Guiseley which took ages, went all round the houses, stopped frequently to allow passengers to go a few stops, etc. Not quite what I expected.! The bus was old and uncomfortable. An upgrade is needed.

 

[Bigman]

The buses are all 25 plate Citaros so don't need upgrading but the A3 is ridiculously slow. We really could do with express services from both Leeds and Bradford.

 

[White Heather]

Anyone know whether a limited stop service to the airport is planned.
Some time ago I took the Bradford to airport service via Guiseley which took ages, went all round the houses, stopped frequently to allow passengers to go a few stops, etc. Not quite what I expected.! The bus was old and uncomfortable. An upgrade is needed.

The buses now are new Mercedes. Having just got them last year they have now lost the contract from 2028. So will they take their Mercs with them or transfer them to Tower?

I was wondering what will happen with the Harrogate link given Tracy B doesn't cover North Yorkshire. Her 'influence' ends at Pool Bridge.

 

[Bigman]

It will depend on what the powers that be decide the branding should be. I did hear one driver saying that they were all transferring to Hunslet garage next year so Idle garage might be shutting

 

[Finger66]

Let's hope Idle Tracy shuts with it!

 

[Len Fish]

What’s needed is dedicated airport services, not a regular service that just happens to call into the airport.

 

[The Pole]

What’s needed is dedicated airport services, not a regular service that just happens to call into the airport.

I don't think sufficient passengers use it for it to make money on airport passengers only.
I've used it several times to and from Horsforth with little if any airport users.
Although tonight there were 4 large cases at the front and was only a few seats left. People were getting on and off all the way to horsforth.

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

The issue you have is a couple of fold - depending on destination.

A) - Leeds.

The most direct route is either via Kirkstall route or down pool bank and into Leeds via A65 / Headingley. Neither of those options are best given Kirkstall & Headingley can be a nightmare in rush hour traffic (which rarely happens other then on a Tuesday & Wednesday).

Anyway the easiest way is Kirkstall of course. Rather then limiting the amount of passengers, in deregulated world of buses, the operator (when a competitor to First) wanted a piece of the local market.

Another reason for Kirkstall other Headingley (arguably Headingley would be better but hell of a lot more competitive). In this new world of franchising for the benefit of passenger & economy let's hope the Leeds - Airport services a) increase and b) become limited stop. As they no longer need to compete with first on the Kirkstall trunk. Or a) increase to allow for frequent A65 corridor alongside the 33/33A.

B) - Bradford.

One suspects passenger loadings from Bradford aren't too good. The most direct route of course been via Greengates. Which is fine until you add into the mix they go via Rawdon. Rawdon doesn't have a Bradford dedicated bus service which then brings into the airport service into the equation. Hence round the houses.

Via Guiseley / Shipley is literally service an area that First bus neglected. And the airport is an add on.

Bradford - Airport services are literally from a by gone era whereby the local services used to operate. Initially as the 647/48 via Greengage's or Shipley then into Yeadon and onto Otley. Then revamped as the 647/651 again as a circular (one went Anti Clockwise the other Clockwise) - with the airport added in as a bit of terminus and "if we must" element.

C) - Harrogate.

In-sufficient demand. The affluent people of Harrogate will taxi or drive & park. Which brings back to the point the service is calling via the airport as a convince to attract some loadings whilst "the local service" via its route does the heavily lifting. Airport neglected again.

You sadly won't get an airport service like others (Manchester as an example) have. This is due to the airport been neglected by first but during a period of heavy growth. Whilst the airport was growing - First were disappearing in the Wharfdale / Yeadon area.

 

[Bigman]

An A1 passed us at Rawdon the other morning heading into town and it was totally rammed to full standing. Every time I try to get on an A1 it is the same. Very few people can get on after the airport. The A2 to Harrogate is picking more and more people at the terminal every time I use it

 

[Finger66]

Not well enough up on the workings of bus services so a genuine uneducated question here:
Would some sort of express service from Bradford to Harrogate via LBA work, thus appealing more to all three sections of the route?

 

[Bigman]

Flixbus or National Express would be nice

 

[rmack]

Has National Express Buses, or similar eg Flixbus ever considered a route through LBA, for instance Middlesborough -York-LBA Bradford Halifax. I spoke to young lady a few weeks ago who was flying from Edinburgh to Bristol, then down to Cornwall (somewhere) by bus, two hours direct from the airport. Could similar work from LBA.
Also what ever happened to the LBA Parkway station?
I too earlier this year took the A1 to Leeds, mid afternoon and I think I got the last seat.

 

[dmrodgers]

The buses now are new Mercedes. Having just got them last year they have now lost the contract from 2028. So will they take their Mercs with them or transfer them to Tower?

I was wondering what will happen with the Harrogate link given Tracy B doesn't cover North Yorkshire. Her 'influence' ends at Pool Bridge.

To be honest didn't think she had any influence on anything other than where the next cycle route was going to run to and from. All wind and substance making all the right noises but nothing seems to get done.