Road, Rail & Access

[jfy1999]

Latest developments in the public transport plan look to be good news for the Airport. The Midland Metro link is high on the priority list for the WMCA chiefs.

http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/busines ... o-10617169

 

[Brum X]

Latest developments in the public transport plan look to be good news for the Airport. The Midland Metro link is high on the priority list for the WMCA chiefs.

http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/busines ... o-10617169

This is good news, but please please please lets not wait 20 years. Get it built now or at least start building in the next 2/3 years.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Yet another batch of transport plans, will this time be any different and actually we see something happening?

On the subject of the Metro does anyone think a route to BHX is really a priority, especially through East Birmingham? At the moment BHX to New Street can be done in 10 mins or so, I'd imagine the Metro could take 4 or 5 times that? I'm not complaining about it (I'll be a user myself) and I'm sure the staff would be very grateful but as a region would there not be more beneficial routes, Central Birmingham to Solihull for example?

 

[Brummiegem]

I haven't seen the route,but I am guessing East Birmingham suggests the Meadway.In turn that means a similar route to the 97.
Now does that mean instead of the 97 or as well as.Perhaps someone could confirm the route.
Either way a lot of work will have to be done to prepare this route for both trams and other traffic. I

 

[Ray Finkle]

I've not seen anything official but articles usually suggest the route will go via Chelmsley Wood and Birmingham Business Park so the 97 route would make the most sense.

 

[Brum X]

I've not seen anything official but articles usually suggest the route will go via Chelmsley Wood and Birmingham Business Park so the 97 route would make the most sense.

I think the 97 route for the Metro is perfect , lets not forget in other cities (East Manchester) where the metro goes normally means money and investment follows. Solihull Town centre does not need the investment as much as East Birmingham or North Solihull and this is what the Metro is all about. It also brings a bit of "prestige" to BHX to have a tram stopping outside the Terminal. Makes it look ultra modern and forward thinking. Soon we will have an overhead Tram (LOL) and an on street level Tram as well as buses and Trains. What other airport in the whole of the UK will have all this public transport ??????? None

 

[richard winterbourn]

In pleading ignorance to what is the '97 route' which i take it is a bus route, please remember that not everyone either lives in Birmingham and Wolverhampton and does not have access to trains that pass through New Street Station.

Living in Herefordshire my preferred route to BHX is the train from Kidderminster which then requires me to cross from Moor Street to New Street and onward to the airport or lugg my cases down the stairs at Galton Bridge and wait perhaps half-an-hour for a suitable train

There would be countless tens of thousands of people who would benefit with a Metro link to the airport. With a regular service of say, every 15 minutes, what people could do is (for example) use The Hawthorns as a transit station. This would be far more preferable to having to walk across the centre of the city from Moor Street. The return journey would be even better...

I am well aware there are other ways of getting to the airport ie car, taxi etc but a tram link which stretched from Wolverhampton to the airport would be a vital link in the region's traffic infrastructure.

Connectivity, i think that is the modern buzz word.

 

[Brum X]

Yes mate, the 97 is a very busy 24 hour bus route from Birmingham city centre to the Airport via much of the city and North Solihull. However it is not the quickest way, the 900 bus is the fast bus from the city to the airport.

 

[Brummiegem]

The unfortunate thing about this route is that the roads are very narrow.Going through the Bordesley Green area can be a very time consuming and tedious experience.
I wonderif the tram would run for 24hrs like the bus service?

 

[Brum X]

The unfortunate thing about this route is that the roads are very narrow.Going through the Bordesley Green area can be a very time consuming and tedious experience.
I wonderif the tram would run for 24hrs like the bus service?

I would hope so as knowing this Government it wont be running for at least another 10 years, by that time hopefully BHX will be handling circa 18 million passengers and would have even more flights that operate throughout the night. So a 24 hour tram makes alot of sense.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Solihull Town centre does not need the investment as much as East Birmingham or North Solihull and this is what the Metro is all about.

That's a very good point and one which I hadn't considered. There are definitely areas along that route that would be in need of some investment. It may not be the quickest option between Central Birmingham and the airport but it sure would help the area.

Living in Herefordshire my preferred route to BHX is the train from Kidderminster which then requires me to cross from Moor Street to New Street and onward to the airport or lugg my cases down the stairs at Galton Bridge and wait perhaps half-an-hour for a suitable train

I can understand that, although not very far the journey from Moor Street to New Street is not the easiest to make, especially with luggage, possibly in bad weather.

I was thinking more of the journey times. Trams generally make frequent stops and the route via Chelmsley Wood and Birmingham Business Park would be quite a dog leg to BHX. I wouldn't like to think how long the journey from the Hawthorns to the airport might possibly take?

I would have thought the quickest and easiest routing would be to arrive into Snow Hill and then take the short Metro journey to New Street? From there it's 10-15 mins and you're in the terminal.

Does anyone know if the plans for Sprint Buses along the A45 are still going ahead? I could see those being popular.

 

[richard winterbourn]

Clearly any tram link to the airport will be used by a variety of people, not just those who are flying out from the airport.

But for those using the airport i make one point: You might be a party of two, three or four, and have three/four suitcases plus cabin luggage. My experience has been to factor in the time it takes to find the most comfortable route. Lugging cases through New Street Station (the busiest outside London) is not an environment i would want to be in.

If it takes an extra half hour on the Metro, that's good enough for me...

 

[Brum X]

BHX voted 2nd best for Public Transport

1 Southampton 7

2 Birmingham 7.5

3 Manchester 8

4 London City 8.5

5 Heathrow 9

6 Aberdeen 9.5

7 Newcastle 10

8 Belfast City 10

9 Edinburgh 11

10 Glasgow 11

11 Leeds/Bradford 12

12 Bristol 13

13 Liverpool 14

14 Exeter 15

15 Inverness 15

16 East Midlands 17

17 Belfast International 17

18 Prestwick 17.5

19 Cardiff 18

20 Gatwick 21

21 Luton 21

22 Stansted 24

23 Southend 26

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/new ... 80496.html

 

[Ray Finkle]

Sensible words from Mr Faulkner, BHX has to maximise the full potential of HS2. Hopefully plans are under way behind the scenes.

Chamber chief executive Paul Faulkner said: “It’s fantastic news to hear Birmingham Airport has had a strong year, reporting 11 months of record passenger numbers.

“While the airport looks forward to a busy 2016, we are conscious of the opportunities for the airport beyond 2016. 2017 should see the beginning of construction on the HS2 interchange station, right on the doorstep of the airport.

“Although research from York Aviation estimates that HS2 could bring 750,000 additional passengers to the airport, we have yet to see a concrete strategy from the airport and Government for how HS2 can boost aviation in the centre of the country.

“Although the report by York Aviation highlighted the already significant contribution the airport makes to the region, HS2 is a game-changer, creating a very different state of affairs, and providing an array of new opportunities.

“In light of this, the airport and policy makers need to demonstrate how they will maximise the benefits of HS2, and optimise the airport’s future contributions to the region. Birmingham Airport has an important strategic role to play in fuelling the Midlands engine.”

Full article: http://birmingham-chamber.com/BCCG/Enew ... &StoryID=0

 

[jfy1999]

Airport bosses are complaining the congestion around M42 Junction 6 is often causing passengers to miss flights. I don't know about the progress of the roadworks on Junction 6 (they started in 2014), but it seems major redevelopment will be needed some time in the future because of the new HS2 station, which is also coming in for complaints that the name "Birmingham Interchange" is misleading as it could make people think the station is in the city, rather than at the airport.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/mi ... s-10966932

 

[Ray Finkle]

That whole stretch of the M42 is horrendous at times and when there is something big on at the NEC the whole area can be at a standstill.

Hopefully the bridge replacement on the A45 will help access to the airport once it's finished but it definitely needs something long term. I wonder if there is scope for a bypass from J4 of the M6 linking HS2 and the airport?

As for the HS2 station name, how long have they been bickering over the name of the current 'Birmingham International' Station?

 

[Ray Finkle]

An interesting fly through of the Birmingham to London HS2 route.

Skip forward to around 4 minutes and BHX comes into view. The people mover can clearly be seen, although the type used is currently under discussion. There is also alot of land around there for a nice new airport terminal

More good news, as well as housing the HS2 construction operation, the National College of High Speed Rail and the maintenance depot at Washwood Heath, it looks as if HS2 Ltd HQ is also moving to Birmingham.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-36248656

 

[Brum X]

Really great news that the HS2 Headquarters is moving to the Second City, this is what Birmingham needs and deserves.
Great for the City and for BHX

 

[jfy1999]

A few people have been complaining about the proposed design for the HS2 station at BHX, saying it looks too much like a "park and ride". The Curzon Street terminus design is stunning and they're wondering why the Interchange station couldn't be similarly imaginative.

I don't know who's funding the construction of each individual station, but the Interchange design looks like the sort of thing that's built on a limited budget. The current station is pretty hideous in my opinion, and the arrival of HS2 and the people mover could provide an excuse to revamp it, or at least clean it up a bit. Last time I went, the car park entrance in particular was pretty shabby and there was rubbish lying around.

 

[nwoody2001]

if BHX wants that land, they had better hurry up, plenty of people have an eye on it, and I can assure you, the currently land owners have no intention of turning it into an airport!!!!

http://ardencross.com/the-opportunity/arden-cross/