Manchester Airport Consultative Committee (MACC) - Minutes

[Land23R]

That reply from the Rail Minister was effectively a threat. Agree the proposed timetable by the deadline or else.
As far as the Airport is concerned, this para is relevant.
If introduced the new timetable would mean no direct services between Sheffield and Manchester Airport and that trains from York, Leeds and Huddersfield to the airport would be reduced from two per hour to just one.

Because the Castlefield Corridor can't cope with 15 trains an hour, it's being reduced to 13. The short term sticking plaster solution is to reduce services to meet existing (too little) capacity. Whether we'll ever see the medium / long term infrastructure investment to increase capacity remains to be seen.

 

[Land23R]

Just to add the link with Sheffield was because of a direct hourly service between Cleethorpes and Manchester Airport which has ceased.
I understand there were several issues with that service. The train had to reverse in Piccadilly for one thing but importantly it occupied valuable and limited paths between Stockport and Piccadilly. I'm sure any railway buffs will have more detail.

The bottom line is that instead of MAN getting more direct train services as it hoped (Bradford via Calder Valley; Hull; and all day trains to
N Wales rather than a limited off peak service), for the short term at least it will have less. Apart from Newcastle and Cleethorpes, I believe Southport no longer operates. It should also be noted that capacity on the line through Gatley and Heald Green, as well as at the Airport station itself, may be an issue.

 

[EGCC_MAN]

The Central Manchester Castlefield Corridor infrastructure is now known as the 'Grayling Abomination', in recognition of the single most inept government minister in living memory. It was he who derailed the shovel-ready upgrade plan. Even though cost estimates have doubled to £900M, the outlay required to complete the Castlefield works as originally envisaged is still just over half as much as the latest 'top-up' payment demanded by Crossrail to keep that project limping towards the finish line. What a resounding testament to the success of "levelling up".

Whilst the Ordsall Chord is architecturally pleasing, the structure is actually a total white elephant since the remainder of the upgrade works needed did not go ahead. The only reason that a single (off-peak only?) hourly service between Manchester Airport and the NE is retained is to spare ministers the embarrassment of admitting that NO services are able to be scheduled via the Chord. Lamentable.

This isn't simply a Manchester issue. The Grayling Abomination is the single most significant rail bottleneck on the North of England network. It's crippling inadequacies impact rail services radiating out across the North, Midlands, North Wales and through to Scotland on a daily basis. Cost of sorting it out: £900M. But no. Can't happen, apparently.

Would this be left to fester if it was in London?

 

[LS@MAN]

Quote from the last MACC meeting courtesy of @Scottie Dog

“Next year, 2022, is expected to be about 80%-85% of the pre-Covid figures”

Hopefully this will be a good justification come next summer (or maybe sooner) for runway 2 to re-open…

I’ve heard rumours about it opening in November which I personally choose not to believe, I understand R2 is ready and available if required e.g. when R1 is closed for maintenance, but apart from that, I don’t see it opening until at least March/April next year.

 

[Scottie Dog]

The latest NOTAM is given below:

EGCC (MANCHESTER)

A3066/21

Q)EGTT/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/5321N00217W005 B)2108300431 C)2111302359 E)COVID-19 INFORMATION: RWY 05R/23L CLOSED Rewritten this says that 05R/23L is closed between 0431z on 30th August and 2359z on 30th November. Obviously this can change, but it does give an indication of the plans.

 

[IanFarquharson]

Quote from the last MACC meeting courtesy of @Scottie Dog

“Next year, 2022, is expected to be about 80%-85% of the pre-Covid figures”

Hopefully this will be a good justification come next summer (or maybe sooner) for runway 2 to re-open…

I’ve heard rumours about it opening in November which I personally choose not to believe, I understand R2 is ready and available if required e.g. when R1 is closed for maintenance, but apart from that, I don’t see it opening until at least March/April next year.

Excellent if true ?

Heathrow predicting 2026 at the earliest to get back to pre COVID pax levels

 

[Coathanger16]

Excellent if true ?

Heathrow predicting 2026 at the earliest to get back to pre COVID pax levels

What we don't know, and what Heathrow hasn't made public, is what passenger levels they are predicting between now and then. For example Heathrow might have recovered 90% of passengers by 2023, but then expect it to take another 3 years to recover that final 10%.

In the last 12 months Heathrow has carried 16.4% of 2019 passengers and Manchester 12.9%.

 

[LS@MAN]

What date is the next MACC meeting?
Thanks

 

[Scottie Dog]

Next meeting is Friday 24th January at 10am.

 

[mullion]

Friday is 21st January

 

[Scottie Dog]

That'll teach me to not type whilst walking!!

Meetings are currently being held online. If your interested in attending can I suggest that you contact Mike Flynn - see details at the bottom of this post.

Full details of 2022 meetings are given below:

The meetings of MACC are normally attended by the Airport's Chief Operating Officer and other Airport staff who give reports on the many matters of interest to the Committee. These staff are not members of the Committee, which is also serviced independently by its Secretariat, and supported by an independent Environmental Adviser

The full Committee meets quarterly, next meetings are listed below:

• Friday 21st January 2022
• Friday 29th April 2022
• Friday 15th July 2022
• Friday 14th October 2022
• Friday 20th January 2023
• Friday 28th April 2023

There are also two sub-committees that also meet quarterly:

• The Technical Advisory Group - focuses on the external ‘face’ of the Airport, covering ground transport, environmental controls and policy, airline performance and airfield operations issues.
• The Airport Users Advisory Group - is responsible for advising on matters involving the operation of the terminals and passenger facilities.

You can contact the MACC Secretary Mike Flynn

• e-mail [email protected]

 

[LS@MAN]

Next meeting is Friday 24th January at 10am.

Hi, any news/information from the meeting?
Thanks

 

[Scottie Dog]

I was away on the day of the meeting and so can't report anything verbatim. I'll look at the documents I received in advance of the meeting and see what I can release into the public domain. It won't however be until Thursday at the earliest - retirement doesn't mean a quiet life!!

 

[Scottie Dog]

A quick link for you to the minutes of the meeting on 15th October 2021:

https://assets.live.dxp.maginfrastructure.com/f/73114/x/98ba50fae5/agenda-15th-october-2021-minutes-16th-july-meeting.pdf

Hopefully I can find January information later today.

 

[Scottie Dog]

I've found the information, however it is not in a format that I can post on the forum.

If anybody would like a copy then please drop me a PM with your email address and I will happily forward you a copy.

 

[LS@MAN]

Is the next meeting still planned for 28th April?

It would be interesting to hear the latest on recruitment and the next stages of the MAN TP...

 

[Scottie Dog]

Good evening

The next MACC Meeting is Friday 29th April. I'll check to see whether it will be available online.

 

[Scottie Dog]

I can confirm that the meeting will be held online, via MS Teams. I should be receiving the link in the next couple of days so, if you are interested in joining - as an observer, with no right to speak - please drop me a PM and I'll send you the link when received.

Scottie Dog

 

[Scottie Dog]

I final opportunity for anybody who would like to join, as an observer, the MACC meeting on Friday 29th April (tomorrow(. Drop me a PM for details of the link.

 

[LS@MAN]

I final opportunity for anybody who would like to join, as an observer, the MACC meeting on Friday 29th April (tomorrow(. Drop me a PM for details of the link.

Thanks for the reminder. I’m unavailable during the times it’s on, but look forward to reading the MoM.