Road, Rail & Access

[Ray Finkle]

On July 2nd a new coach service starts connecting Birmingham Airport to Oxford via Warwick and the castle

http://airline.oxfordbus.co.uk/birmingham/

 

[Ray Finkle]

Shows what we are up against when the MP for Lichfield, the Rt Honourable Michael Fabricant, makes comments such as this

The MP said: “Although it will always be quicker and more convenient for my constituents to travel to London direct from Lichfield Trent Valley, there could be huge advantages to a link with Curzon Street in the years to come.

http://www.lichfieldmercury.co.uk/8...2-Birmingham/story-29298330-detail/story.html

It's odd that the national rail journey planner has the Lichfield to Heathrow journey time at somewhere between 2h 42 mins and 2h 53 mins, whereas Lichfield to Birmingham International comes in at between 1h and 05 mins and 1 and 07 mins.

 

[Ray Finkle]

The Member of Parliament for Lichfield has received a bit of a hammering on Twitter over his support for the South East.

Well deserved, in my opinion

 

[Ray Finkle]

There are proposals for some stations along the West Coast Mainline to see reduced services. This is to free up capacity for the main city centre stations and make the journey times quicker, which seems understandable.

One of the stations in our region that could see a reduction is Birmingham International. At a time when both the airport and the NEC are growing this is obviously not ideal and it flies in the face of them trying to get additional capacity.

http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/new...romises-listen-following-anger-11483245#ICID=

A consultation has been launched so if anybody wants a say then visit the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-intercity-west-coast-rail-franchise

 

[Brum X]

SOLIHULL MBC TRANSPORT PLAN
http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2016/06/30/mott-to-build-case-for-solihull-transport-hub/

 

[Ray Finkle]

The new bus service to/from Oxford started today, I hope that it does well.

TRIPS from the bustling streets beneath the dreaming spires to the bright lights of the UK's second largest city are set to take off today.

He added: "For many years our customers have asked us to look at the possibility of starting a route to Birmingham. Birmingham Airport is currently going through a period of rapid growth, with many new destinations recently being added to its network.

"But connectivity to the airport from both Oxford and Warwick still has some room for improvement and so we felt that the time was right to give our customers the opportunity to take advantage of these new journey possibilities."

Full article: http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/14..._city_thanks_to_new_coach_service/?ref=twtrec

 

[Simon taylor]

Hi

Can anyone tell me best place to park the car to watch the planes from at Birmingham?

We used to park on a car park by a holiday in not sure if you still can

Does the airport itself have car park? If so any good and how much for a day

Many thanks

 

[wolfheze]

You can use car park 5 at the 'new' terminal or the multi storey car park at the old terminal (drive straight up to the top floor.) Alternatively you can go to the Sheldon country park or the public footpath off Bickenhill lane which give you views of the ends of runways 15 and 33 respectively. If going to the footpath at Bickenhill I normally park up at the church and walk from there. Best check on Google maps.

 

[Simon taylor]

Do you know how much car park 5 is and if it is good for pictures?

 

[Ray Finkle]

Car Park 5 is great for pictures in the morning but as the sun moves round it gets more difficult.

If you are planning to park there for any decent length of time then it gets very expensive. If you are able to manage a 10-15 minute walk then you can park on Elmdon Road and follow the footpath that runs parallel with the railway line. The walk gives a great view across the apron and the path takes you to the terminals, you can then follow it round into the car park. Alternatively you could park at either Marston Green of Hampton-in-Arden railway stations and travel the one stop by train.

If parking close by is a must then these are the current charges listed on the NCP website.

Up to 15 minutes Free
1 hour £4.70
1 to 2 hours £9.20
2 to 3 hours £13.90
3 to 4 hours £18.60
4 to 24 hours £32.30

https://www.ncp.co.uk/find-a-car-park/car-parks/birmingham-airport-carpark-5/

 

[JENNYJET]

Does any member know if any of the open air NCP carparks accept the 'ParkPass' card at the barriers?

This avoids the need for a ticket and is linked to your banking facilities so no need to attend a pay station!

I obtained mine via NCP Web pages and is free. As I have walking difficulties, this plastic card is a wonderful idea, and the best bit? 10% reduction of the tariff each time the card is used but full price if you press for a ticket and use cash to pay. Any NCP car park anywhere but must be able to accept the card at barriers.

 

[hishaq96]

which is better place to view planes car park 5 or sheldon country park?

 

[Brum X]

which is better place to view planes car park 5 or sheldon country park?

That is a hard one as it depends if Runway 15/33 are in use. For me personally if Runway 33 is in use then i prefer the car park as you are really close to the departing aircraft. (A380 here is awesome) but if 15 is in use then defo Sheldon Country park/Golf Club is better. The best thing to do is watch the weather forcast and wind direction. If the wind is coming from the south/east its normally 15 i think and if its West/north then i think 33 is the preferred runway. Anybody please correct me if im wrong.

 

[Jon Dempsey]

Hi Simon,

You can park at the station for £10 all day and jump on the shuttle.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Coventry are exploring the option of a light rail system around the city which could link Warwick and it's University as well as HS2 and the airport.

The aim is also to improve links to the expanding Birmingham Airport, which is nearer to Coventry than Birmingham city centre.

http://coventryobserver.co.uk/news/exclusive-plan-return-trams-coventry-streets-link-hs2/

 

[Ray Finkle]

Potential new major road from the A46 by Warwick University to by the airport.

What’s the plan?
To build a new road starting at the A46 Stoneleigh junction, close to the University of Warwick and ending just shy of the NEC and Birmingham Airport - north of Berkswell. It would join up with either the A452 Kenilworth Road or the A45.

It would run almost adjacent to the planned HS2 high speed rail line which is set to carve through the Warwickshire Country side and will have a station near to the NEC.

The road would likely start life as a service road during the construction of HS2 before being opened to the public in about 2026.

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/major-new-road-linking-coventry-12221063

 

[Ray Finkle]

Due to overcrowding Daniel Kawczynski MP is asking for more capacity on Arriva Trains Wales services to Birmingham Airport. Good to see the service doing well.

Daniel Kawczynski MPVerified account‏@KawczynskiMP
Informed Minister of overcrowding on @ArrivaTW & asked for more frequent service Shrews to Birmingham airport

https://twitter.com/KawczynskiMP/status/820911192931729413

 

[richard winterbourn]

I had the misfortune to use this service a few days ago. Quite frankly, the level of overcrowding in my opinion bordered on the criminal. To say it was dangerously overcrowded doesn't come anywhere near it.

The 1705 service was reasonable until Birmingham New Street but then there were people standing throughout the entire length of the train, packed like sardines. And it was like that until past Wolverhampton.

God forbid there should have been an accident and, God forbid, the responsibility for the train had been left solely in the hands of the driver....

But that's another story...

 

[BHXsupporter]

There didn't seem to be any further details behind the headline but I assume Ray that he really is describing what the headline implies (always a dangerous assumption!) that his constituents wish to travel by train to BHX - this is good news.

Richard, your message suggests to me that yes BHX passengers are using trains from B. International (great, and it would be good to increase trains in all directions from here throughout the day for 18 h) but isn't what you describe from New Street possibly local commuters travelling to Wolverhampton? If so these are the conditions that SE commuters, Northern commuters etc have had to tolerate for years. My son travels to Euston and always sees short-haul passengers selecting to overcrowd the next service irrespective of available comfortable space because for them 15-30 mins of this is nothing. I don't know enough about transferability of ticketing from other companies to ArrivaTW in the West Midlands but if anyone is allowed to use the train then anyone will. It would be a nonsense not to allow BHX arriving passengers not to the able to board the next train with a Birmingham destination (however this can happen with London Midland and Virgin West Coast for southbound destinations since they have different fares (and a difference in travel time and route)) to Milton Keynes and London. I agree with your safety concerns.

 

[richard winterbourn]

Yes BHXsupporter, you are right that pax from Shropshire and, indeed my county, Herefordshire are using this service merely because it avoids having to change at New Street (the alternative route from my area is London Midland via Hereford and Worcester). But the point of my comment is that it is not a pleasant journey if you are travelling at peak times towards Shrewsbury. On one recent journey i had to change at Galton Bridge, something that was virtually impossible with the sheer volume of people on the train and when manhandling a suitcase and shoulder bag.

Yes, these are the same conditions that people in the SE face and, yes, often the problem is exactly the same -- not enough carriages at peak times.