Infrastructure, Construction & Developments

[jfy1999]

Nope, it wouldn't. Unfortunately, health and safety practices always end up with many people restricted because a few people do stupid things, from the airport to the kids' playground.

 

[g3jetman]

The new open air terrace will be non smoking...difficult to police tho!

 

[kraktoa]

There was a rumour that M&S were due to open a food store in the new extension. Never confirmed. Do they mean this by upmarket?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The new open air terrace will be non smoking...difficult to police tho!

Smoking seems pretty general all along the pavement outside the main terminal despite notices clearly pointing to where smokers should light up which is at the eastern end. No-one ever seems to enforce the restriction*; a bit like smoking at covered bus stops in Bristol where 'no smoking' notices are clearly displayed but ignored.

Smoking in 'relaxation' areas will always be an emotive issue with many smokers insisting on their right to smoke and opponents objecting to having to breath in the waste product that contaminates hair and clothes.

I don't smoke but I believe that BRS does have a smoking area airside already.

* The only time I've seen anyone 'admonished' was when the driver of a parked car park bus shouted to a woman that smoking wasn't allowed outside the terminal other than in the dedicated area.

 

[kraktoa]

The airport airside smoking area is just past the security and turn right. It is an enclosed space but open air about the size of a standard home wooden patio area, overlooking a staff and goods entrance check point. They are allowed to take their drinks into this standing only space. The area does not over look the apron as the terminal building is in the way.

It is on a first floor level too. Must say it is quite clean, people dont leave rubbish or butt ends strewn there and take their glasses away. I enter my workplace regularly through there and never had any problems.

 

[kraktoa]

A massive crane outside the main terminal building. Lifting massive glass panels into the eastern extension. Great sight to see. strange to see such a massive crane so close to the terminal building. will be one to show to the grandchildren :friends: . Uploaded photo into the thread airport terminal construction vision etc. Please bring it here. Thanks

:hatsoff: Aviador

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Great pic, many thanks.

Did it disrupt the buses and taxis at the front of the terminal? A few weeks ago I was at the airport when they were working on the metal bollards at the road security gate and all the buses had to set down and pick up along the approach road. There seems to be a double decker bus in the background of your picture.

 

[kraktoa]

The double decker bus is the green one from Bath. Hardly any disruption other than Costa Coffee having to shut their outdoor business (not a great loss i think for rest of us ). All other buses just parked further down the road. the crane has gone now. Job done.

 

[kraktoa]

Marks & Spencer to possibly open a food outlet landside next year when the new arrivals area is upgraded. Not announced yet.

 

[kraktoa]

The roundabout on the A38 is soon to be ready. Unfortunately they have decided to double the size of the roundabout. Whilst the roads leading into and out of the airport off that roundabout remain practically the same size. So a large circle to navigate before entering the airport.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The roundabout on the A38 is soon to be ready. Unfortunately they have decided to double the size of the roundabout. Whilst the roads leading into and out of the airport off that roundabout remain practically the same size. So a large circle to navigate before entering the airport.

I must admit that when I've been at the location I've struggled to see how the current work will improve things. It's been an absolute danger to pedestrians trying to cross the road by the roundabout. The footway runs out and signs direct walkers to cross the A 38 (three lanes with a fourth merging into the northbound lane) to reach the footway (under construction anyway) on the other side. There is no provision whatever to assist pedestrians to cross the road.

In the past I crossed the A 38 by the recently demolished footbridge at the bottom of the hill or used the refuge in the centre of the road.

I thought that they would reduce the size of the roundabout not increase it which will absorb more road space.

I hope that this is not being driven by the many schemes in Bristol itself where road space has been reduced in recent years, mainly to accommodate cyclists and to pay some sort of lip service to the city's mantle as European Green Capital For 2015 and its position as the UK's first cycling city.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

As kraktoa pointed out in another thread the list of retailers in the eastern extension to the terminal has been announced.

The airport has issued a press release:

[textarea]Line-up announced for terminal extension at Bristol Airport

New brands and bigger departure lounge for passengers this summer.

An exciting line-up of retail and catering facilities has been confirmed ahead of the opening of Bristol Airport’s eastern terminal extension this summer.

The £8.6m project – the first major expansion of the terminal building since it opened in 2000 - opens to passengers in early July and is a major component of development plans to enhance facilities to handle 10 million passengers per annum.

As well as creating space for hundreds of additional seats in the departure lounge, the extension provides more than 1,000 square metres for retail and catering units which will be occupied by a range of new and existing brands.

New to Bristol Airport are the leading Fashion Sports retailer, JD Sports, and popular fashion outlet, Accessorize, while the new Traveller store will bring a range of major brands and the latest fashion under one roof, selected to capture the excitement and exhilaration of travelling, including Superdry, Gant, Barbour, Boss Green and Joules. Claire’s Accessories returns after a brief hiatus during the construction period, and Superdrug, WHSmith and The Bookshop at WHSmith will move to new, improved units in the enlarged departure lounge, completing an exciting refresh of the shopping experience.

Passengers will also have more options to choose from this summer, including a new-look Starbucks located in the terminal extension. The food and drink offer, created in partnership with SSP, a leading operator of food and beverage brands in travel locations worldwide, will also be bolstered by the addition of The Cabin, offering fine wine, craft beers and locally sourced food in a relaxing environment which includes a stylish outdoor terrace with retractable roof.

Outdoor space can also be accessed by those not dining, with a rooftop garden featuring quirky sculptures expected to prove popular, particularly during the summer months. With the popularity of the Aspire Lounge, other new additions include a second executive lounge, Aspire Plus, which promises a VIP experience in quiet, relaxed surroundings ideal for the business traveller.

Kate Ridgers, Head of Commercial Development at Bristol Airport, said:
“We are excited about these new additions to the departure lounge, and we hope passengers will be too. It is not only about new brands at the Airport, as Superdrug and WH Smith will have much needed enlarged shops to provide our passengers with the last minute travel essentials. There are now even more reasons to arrive early at the Airport this summer, whether you want to do some last minute holiday shopping or get your trip off to a relaxing start over a meal or drink in one of our bars, cafés or restaurants.”

A total of 6.3 million passengers used Bristol Airport last year, surpassing the previous annual record set in 2008, and continued growth is forecast throughout 2015. The Airport’s largest carrier, easyJet, recently launched a raft of new routes, including year-round services to Bilbao, Isle of Man, Gibraltar and Porto, while Thomson Airways will operate flights to Cape Verde for the first time this summer, alongside new services to Hurghada in Egypt and Paphos, Cyprus. In addition, Wizz Air will enter the South West market with twice weekly flights to Katowice in Poland from June.

Other developments underway include improvements to car parks and the construction of a 201 room Hampton by Hilton hotel set to be completed next spring. Beyond the Airport boundary improvements to the transport system across the West of England, including the construction of a South Bristol Link, will enhance access from the north, east and west once completed in 2016.

Earlier this year Bristol was named the world’s most punctual Airport in a league table measuring on-time performance compiled by leading global aviation provider OAG based on more than 43 million flight records.[/textarea]
http://www.bristolairport.co.uk/about-u ... -extension

 

[superking]

talk going round of the west end of terminal extension will be announced today.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Was on the local news this morning. West extension two and a half times bigger than the East extension which opens in a week or two.

Nothing yet on airport website. I'm away for two or three days now so will see what is proposed on my return.

Addendum

Found report in local paper.

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Major-24-m ... story.html

£24 million being spent on it. There will be a bigger security area, more room in the baggage reclaim amongst other things. The airport CEO says this will take the spend on terminal and infrastructure improvements to £120 million since 2010.

Work will start in the next few weeks for completion next year.

 

[superking]

thats good news. my hearing was good then. heard about it a few days ago,but did not say anything as it hears lots of different things,that are not true.
you have a few good days away localyokel,hope weather is kind to you.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

thats good news. my hearing was good then. heard about it a few days ago,but did not say anything as it hears lots of different things,that are not true.
you have a few good days away localyokel,hope weather is kind to you.

Thank you for the good wishes, superking. We certainly did enjoy our short break - on four wheels this time, not in the air, except when we encountered some uneven roads in Cornwall.

There was a discussion in the LBA forum recently about people's perceptions of the aviation industry and the fact that on such forums as Skytrax negative reviews (for all airports) massively outnumber positive ones. There is the old saying that if you have good service from somewhere you might tell someone about it but if you have bad service you tell lots of people.

The same sort of thing seems to apply to this announcement which must be good news for all users of BRS and for the region in general. Yet the reaction on airline forums and in the local press is almost non existent. You and I are the only ones to comment on it here and on that other rather large aviation message board website lums: there was only one comment after my alter ego posted the original news story link.

I know that BRS punches above its weight as an airport but the interest in it generally is far less than in other smaller and less successful airports. It's probably a West Country thing in that we feel embarrassed about praise but don't hesitate to whinge: witness the comments from the public in the local press on all manner of subjects.

I have no doubt that if, say, Cardiff Airport announced even a less ambitious terminal expansion than this it would be all over the Welsh news media and posters on aviation message boards would be falling over themselves to comment.

 

[tpm]

To be fair, my impression is that chit-chat by SLF and enthusiasts is frowned upon as somewhat off-topic in said other forum.

Besides the usual moaning about charging for drop-off and pick-up and trolleys and such in the Bristol Post forum, the main complaint seems to be the lack of travellators in the western walkway, which I think is fair, even if I personally don't mind the walk at all and you have to walk further at Heathrow/Gatwick to even get to the security search area or pick up your luggage. In any case I can't say I really understand why the airport has not done anything about that yet, surely neither the capital investment nor the operating costs are huge. Perhaps there's a lack of appreciation just how much this affects certain passengers psychologically, being put in a position where they either have to ask for assistance or struggle through. Anyway.

Now, I don't want to seem greedy, but now that the terminal extensions and the hotel are under way, what's next?

Does anyone know what the timeline is for the multi-storey car park (plus transport hub)? The eastern walkway? Were there plans for some kind of extension of the western walkway?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

To be fair, my impression is that chit-chat by SLF and enthusiasts is frowned upon as somewhat off-topic in said other forum.

I think you are correct when posters in that forum discuss individual aircraft and indulge in flights of fancy about this or that route working from a particular airport.

I've been posting to aviation forums since the late 1990s (when there weren't that many around compared with today) and lums: was certainly a forum for aviation professionals then. Gradually non-aviation folk were admitted (I've been a member since 2003) but in many quarters they are still only reluctantly tolerated and it pays to know one's place. Many aviation professionals there though become instant experts on topics that most can know little about yet chastise outsiders who presume to offer technical opinions on aviation (I never do and never have).

I've never been a spotter and although I enjoy the ambience of busy airports my main interest has always been the commercial side of civil aviation. The point I was trying to make this time, probably not well, was that a significant extension to an airport terminal is a valid topic for discussion in that it will, or should, impact positively on that airport's wellbeing with a resultant boost for aviation-related jobs there, the health of the airport and the economy of the catchment.

I think that there would have been more comment and even debate had a similar event occurred at a number of other airports, some not as busy at BRS, which would not have been looked at with raised eyebrows by the mods of that forum who can sometimes be a bit prissy.

Besides the usual moaning about charging for drop-off and pick-up and trolleys and such in the Bristol Post forum, the main complaint seems to be the lack of travellators in the western walkway, which I think is fair, even if I personally don't mind the walk at all and you have to walk further at Heathrow/Gatwick to even get to the security search area or pick up your luggage. In any case I can't say I really understand why the airport has not done anything about that yet, surely neither the capital investment nor the operating costs are huge. Perhaps there's a lack of appreciation just how much this affects certain passengers psychologically, being put in a position where they either have to ask for assistance or struggle through. Anyway.

The western walkway was originally built as general permitted development (GPD) which doesn't need formal planning consent. The drawback in this case was that the terminal area floor space was already at its planning limit and the walkway could not in any way be allowed to increase it. Consequently the western walkway was opened with extremely spartan features so that it was clearly just a conduit to take passengers between terminal and aircraft.

When the local authority later approved the major planning applications it meant the western walkway (already built and open by then) was no longer bound by GPD limitations. This means the airport could if it chose to do so put in moving walkways. I understand the cost is considerable and at present the expense is not felt to be justified.

Like you the (up to) 400 metre walk does not bother me one iota but I accept that some people are elderly, infirm or have young children with them. Your last sentence in this paragraph raises a fair point too.

Now, I don't want to seem greedy, but now that the terminal extensions and the hotel are under way, what's next?

Does anyone know what the timeline is for the multi-storey car park (plus transport hub)? The eastern walkway? Were there plans for some kind of extension of the western walkway?

The airport has always said that the expansion will proceed as traffic dictates. The announcement of the western terminal expansion suggests that the major terminal-related work will be complete when this is finished.

However, plans certainly show the need for an eastern walkway and some sort of extension of the western walkway to service aircraft at new stand to be built in the future. The car park and transport hub would also facilitate the passage of travellers into the expanded main terminal.

By 2016 the airport will have a terminal that can cope with up to 10 mppa but perhaps the number of stands won't be sufficient for that number of passengers until new ones are built and ways found to service them (in other words the infrastructure mentioned in my previous paragraph).

If passenger numbers continue to rise through 2016 and beyond it's highly likely in my view that a start will be made on the remaining infrastructure improvements. What would be next though is anyone's guess outside the airport management/ownership.

 

[kraktoa]

To be fair, my impression is that chit-chat by SLF and enthusiasts is frowned upon as somewhat off-topic in said other forum.

Besides the usual moaning about charging for drop-off and pick-up and trolleys and such in the Bristol Post forum, the main complaint seems to be the lack of travellators in the western walkway, which I think is fair, even if I personally don't mind the walk at all and you have to walk further at Heathrow/Gatwick to even get to the security search area or pick up your luggage. In any case I can't say I really understand why the airport has not done anything about that yet, surely neither the capital investment nor the operating costs are huge. Perhaps there's a lack of appreciation just how much this affects certain passengers psychologically, being put in a position where they either have to ask for assistance or struggle through. Anyway.

Now, I don't want to seem greedy, but now that the terminal extensions and the hotel are under way, what's next?


Does anyone know what the timeline is for the multi-storey car park (plus transport hub)? The eastern walkway? Were there plans for some kind of extension of the western walkway?

The travellators were not on the initial planning application so there is no going back.

 

[tpm]

The travellators were not on the initial planning application so there is no going back.

Are you saying it would not be possible to fit them now? Legally? Or just because no provision has been made at the time and there's not enough space? I would be very surprised if that was so, and I seem to remember claims that passive provision has been made.