Road, Rail & Access Issues

[scousefowler]

No point in improved access if no apron space.

 

[cmj]

I was in Edinburgh a few weeks ago and the tram was already in operation although only for staff training. The system cost around three quarters of a billion quid. Somewhat perversely Edinburgh does have an excellent, almost on-demand, bus link between airport and city centre.

Ah yes, the Edinburgh tram scheme that went ahead when the Leeds supertram project was cancelled by the then transport minister Alistair Darling .. now where is he MP for again?

 

[White Heather]

No point in improved access if no apron space.

There is every point. LBA already needs improved access, whether or not there is further expansion at the airport.

 

[scousefowler]

How can you effectively 'lobby' for anything without the masterplan?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

[offtopic]

Ah yes, the Edinburgh tram scheme that went ahead when the Leeds supertram project was cancelled by the then transport minister Alistair Darling .. now where is he MP for again?

The other thing of course is that Scotland has its own government that put in half a billion quid to the project, something denied schemes in England that have to rely on the Westminster government's largesse, with MPS for Scottish and Welsh constituencies having a say.

Incidentally, Bristol also lost promised tram funding from the Labour government but I make no party political point as I hold politicians of all parties in contempt.

The politicians now have to find an artificial way of ensuring the Edinburgh tram system turns a profit.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-e ... e-23079942[/offtopic]

 

[lbaspotter]

I see the government have today agreed funding for the new rail stations to be built at both Kirkstall Forge & Apperley Bridge.

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... -1-6641070

I wonder if the Apperley Bridge station could be linked to the airport by shuttle buses? Surely it's be ideal to advertise it as a airport station like Luton do?

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Not sure about Apperley Bridge, until I retired used to pass through morning and night from yeadon. For 2 hours in the morning and the same at night totally grid locked.
I would not like to be getting to/from the airport at peak rush hour times, you would have to allow at least an hour for this short journey, putting more traffic in this area is crazy.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I think the 'Feltham' model might be the best way to go.

 

[scousefowler]

I see the government have today agreed funding for the new rail stations to be built at both Kirkstall Forge & Apperley Bridge.

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... -1-6641070

I wonder if the Apperley Bridge station could be linked to the airport by shuttle buses? Surely it's be ideal to advertise it as a airport station like Luton do?

It's a good idea. Maybe it could alternate with a similar service to Horsforth station?

 

[scousefowler]

Not sure about Apperley Bridge, until I retired used to pass through morning and night from yeadon. For 2 hours in the morning and the same at night totally grid locked.
I would not like to be getting to/from the airport at peak rush hour times, you would have to allow at least an hour for this short journey, putting more traffic in this area is crazy.

I think the approach to the junction at Greengates is the worst and any shuttle bus would not go that far.....
I think 1 hour to/from at peak times is a bit far fetched.... Maybe half hour, but a link to apperley bridge station is surely a must???

 

[Aviador]

I would say it's probably going to be the way forward until investment is put directly into a new airport station. Apperley Bridge isn't ideal with the potentially long queue up Harrogate road towards the airport and the other way down Apperley Bridge when it's busy, but nonetheless it's probably better than linking with Horsforth or Guiseley down winding and potentially dangerous country roads.

 

[White Heather]

There is no need to go down winding country roads to Guiseley, in fact if they operated down through Yeadon Town Centre and down Queensway, they are following existing bus routes the entire distance. It would take around 10 minutes if the bus to the airport was non stop and operated via Cemetary Road (avoiding any queues at the traffic lights outside Murgatroyds). As it is now, Horsforth would be very difficult as there is no room to get a bus into, around, or out of the car park, and that junction by the bridge is notoriously dangerous.

Overall, I think Guiseley is the best bet and its available - right now!

 

[lbaspotter]

Well good news is that Metro have confirmed that they are potentially looking at connecting the new Apperley Bridge Rail station with shuttle buses to Leeds/Bradford Airport and also other local bus routes, They say the design layout includes a bus turning circle along with ample car parking spaces.
There are a lot more trains services that could call at the new Apperley Bridge station. It not only opens up faster links to both Leeds Interchange & Bradford Forster Square station but also the possibility of connecting the Airport with all stations along the Airedale Line. Which includes Saltaire - Bingley - Crossflatts - Keighley - Steeton & Silsden - Cononley - Skipton and possibly onwards to Morecambe and Carlisle.

"White Heather" Where would advise to turn a bus at Horsforth station? As you already know the car park entrance is too tight for even the Optare Solo buses to enter safely without it been remodelled. I cant see Guiseley station been connected as Metro already fund a hourly bus (service 967 Operated by TLC) from the next station along the line at Menston to the airport..

 

[SNOWMAN]

hi all
I think it would be a great idea to try a bus link from one of the local railway stations and monitor the usage before building a airport station,the cost of said station will be a lot of money.i am sure the bus link could be up and running quickly at little cost.
just my thoughts
sm1

 

[Aviador]

Guiseley is probably the best option right now, I agree, particularly because it's easier to get to Guiseley than Horsforth Station. If LBA never manages to get a direct rail service Apperley Bridge will probably be the best railway link option because it's going to be purpose built and it's going to be situated off a main road. It's probably also worth mentioning it's going to be the Bradford trains that stop at Apperley Bridge. The Bradford route is much quieter than the Ilkley train. Also, it's probably an easier option to go via Shipley to the West? Our train boffin's will know doubt be able to answer that one?

 

[whoshotjimmi]

A link with Apperley Bridge station could be a magnificent idea providing a number of other factors were taken into account. Namely:

Traffic Management in the local area; through rail ticketing that can potentially be used on the bus; a well thought out and executed marketing strategy - including connecting times.

I used Liverpool South Parkway the other week. The lack of a through ticket to the airport was somewhat frustrating though the facility was good and the buses plentiful. I do, however, see a glaring drawback to the marketing of Apperley Bridge as a gateway to the airport:

All trains are local - the bus to Leeds station would still be quicker. The fact that there are no through trains from further afield could render an interchange unnecessary as one would still have to change at Leeds and the bus would still be a better option. If there was a wider strategy to integrate an airport gateway by routing through trains from other destinations, it could be a success. However, the likelihood of this happening is very, very, very small.

There are indeed a number of connecting trains at Shipley - 4ph to Skipton, 2ph to Ilkley via Guiseley, 1ph to Carlisle/Morcambe. This would be potentially good for customers on the Airedale route but less of a benefit on the Wharfedale route - it would be quicker to change onto a bus at Guiseley.

In terms of benefits, I think there would be a lot of work required for it to be viable but I absolutely agree that, at a very minimum, the bus to Bradford ought to run via the station.

 

[Bigman]

Another good point to mention is that the current 747 bus already goes through Apperley Bridge. This would surely need to be increased in frequency to make airport connections more viable. I would also like to see the local 966 hopper route amended to serve the new station as well, which would make if far more useful to residents of Yeadon/Westfield.

 

[Aviador]

To be honest I think it would have to be an airport authority operated shuttle bus as opposed to it being an unreliable and unaccountable public service bus. If buses opperate alongside the train times it would work well. At least that way passengers would have a bus waiting for them on arrival to the station.

 

[SNOWMAN]

To be honest I think it would have to be an airport authority operated shuttle bus as opposed to it being an unreliable and unaccountable public service bus. If buses opperate alongside the train times it would work well. At least that way passengers would have a bus waiting for them on arrival to the station.

spot on there AVIADOR it has to be a airport operated shuttle bus.
sm1 :s_thumbsup

 

[White Heather]

Where would advise to turn a bus at Horsforth station? As you already know the car park entrance is too tight for even the Optare Solo buses to enter safely without it been remodelled. I cant see Guiseley station been connected as Metro already fund a hourly bus (service 967 Operated by TLC) from the next station along the line at Menston to the airport..

LBA spotter, re Horsforth Station - sorry, but I am unsure of your point. I stated that Horsforth was NOT suitable because of the access and egress problems and because the car park was too small to accommodate a bus, hence my view that Guiseley is the better option right now for a dedicated rail station for the airport, at least up until Apperley Bridge is built. Guiseley is available for this purpose right now, not some time in the future, and it has previously been mentioned by LBA management as the most likely option (rather than Horsforth).

Using Guiseley also enables a faster connection at peak times because there is a route available that by-passes traffic queues. From Apperley Bridge, in the rush hour, you hit queues at Rawdon Lights, or JCT600 roundabout (take your pick) and if you choose the latter you get another queue at the top of Green Lane and another queue at Murgatroyds. There would be no queuing to speak of travelling from Guiseley up Queensway, through Yeadon and along Cemetary Road.