Road, Rail & Access Issues

[Bigman]

Centrebus have got 8 buses and do have a garage in Leeds. It is behind the KwikFit on Kirstall Road I am told. Perhaps First could explain why my 33A didn't turn up yet again this morning. All very well having good looking buses, but it means naff all if they can't be bothered to operate the service.

Have they now changed all the timetable boards at the airport, because they weren't done on Sunday??

 

[White Heather]

Presumably this a new garage then as it wasn't there before and they didn't operate in Leeds before did they? Is this where they base all their airport route buses?

 

[ls27]

I have seen the Centrebus 757 today for the first time. A double deck vehicle with a very good load.

 

[lbaspotter]

I have seen the Centrebus 757 today for the first time. A double deck vehicle with a very good load.

Centrebus dont have any double deck vehicles allocated onto the the new Airport routes out of the new Kisrkstall road Garage. They have 8 Scania Ominicities and One Scania Sola wright Eclipse for standby.

So the Bus you saw on the 757 must have been a Firstbus, Volvo Wright Eclipse Gemmini. Oh just found out that the new Olympus 905 is on lease for a couple of days from Centrebus in Huddersfiled, Waterloo depto. So may have seen a Blue and Orange Centrebus double decker afteral.

Andy Just to let you know the requirment for First on there 757 services is now only three buses. Weekdays should see either a mix of Single Deck Volvo Wright, Eclipses. 66700/1/3. or double deck Volvo Wright Eclipse Gemmini's while Saturdays will see a full double decker operation.

 

[Bigman]

The double decker is on the 747 service today. Saw it at 06:41 in Yeadon.

 

[ls27]

The vehicle I saw was orange and blue, so it musy have been the one you mentioned.

 

[Bigman]

It was. 07 reg so quite new.

 

[Galaxy]

Had a conversation with an Arrow taxi driver today. He told me that Arrow are putting a bid in to do Birmingham International, and that LBA is getting a visit from Birmingham Airport inspectors at some point. Apparently a memo has gone round saying that drivers have to be 'immaculately dressed' and that cars without wheel trims will not be allowed to collect passengers from LBA! Sounds a bit OTT, in all honesty I'm not that impressed with the Arrow set-up, I also think that the taxis from the airport are too expensive, an Arrow taxi from the airport to my house is £2 dearer than one from my house to the airport! I've also got off planes before and been told that a taxi will be 40 minutes, I ended up ringing another firm who got there in 10.

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Horsforth roundabout to get traffic lights

Measures to improve safety and traffic flow at a busy Horsforth roundabout are set to go ahead.

Approval has been given to a scheme to install signals at the junction of the A65 and the A6120, which is seen as having strategic importance for the city as well as providing a key link for Leeds Bradford Airport.

Approval has been given under delegated powers at Leeds City Council for funding of £50,000 to undertake the preliminary design work to have lights installed at the junction, pictured. Highways officers will also look into the possible phasing of improvement works and any complementary measures necessary at adjacent junctions.

A report to the highways and trans-portation chief officer said the roundabout experienced significant levels of congestion and had a ‘significant adverse impact on the efficiency of the road network’.

The roundabout, which is next to the Esso garage, connects New Road Side in Horsforth, to the Ring Road and to Rawdon Road. It has been the scene of 28 accidents in the past five years and is listed number 14 on Leeds’ road safety sites for concern register.

The Horsforth roundabout was one of six sites to be included in a bid for funding to the Regional Transport Board for the years 2014 onwards. But all post-2014 schemes have been deferred by the board.

A report to the chief officer says: “this site has been highlighted as a priority on the basis that it has strategic importance in terms of a key link to LBIA, it would support a future potential bus priority scheme for the A65 Rawdon Road, and future development sites may offer funding opportunities.”

It adds: “Currently, there are congestion problems, poor facilities for non-motorised users, disruption to public transport services and accidents at the junction.”

Preliminary design work will now go ahead on the scheme which is seen as important to the A65 Rawdon Road bus priority scheme and for access to the airport.

The initial design work is expected to be completed by July and will then be followed by a consultation exercise and a detailed design phase.

The £50,000 cost will be met from the integrated transport scheme within the approved capital programme and is eligible for 100 per cent government funding.

Earlier this year more than 100 people attended a meeting in Rawdon calling for urgent action to end congestion on the A65 from Horsforth to Menston, and the A658 Bradford to Pool Road.

The organisers of the meeting, the Aireborough Civic Society and the Apperley Lane Residents Association, said little had been done to alleviate the problems caused by housing developments and increased traffic to Leeds Bradford Airport. They claimed congestion regularly occurred on the A65 at Yeadon, along with long tailbacks at many junctions, including the Horsforth roundabout.

Source[/textarea]

 

[lbaspotter]

First Leeds have now by all acounts de-registed its 757 Monday to Saturday - Leeds Rail Station to Airport service on the VOSA website as from the July 2010 service changes. But I have been told that they First Leeds maybe re-routing one of there other local routes into the airport from this date onwards to offer Airport links.

So i guess we will just have to wait and see what they do as they could either divert the 33A or 97 services to serve the airport to keep up the compertition with Centrebus.

 

[rhinoscrazy]

Re: Ryanair

i know this is a bit whaky but surly being on every ones mind why doesnt a low cost carier from leeds bradford to manchster operate beacause theres alot of passangers leeds bradford loose out on to manchester.so we should operate cheap no frills flights to there. airport get passangers and money? aswell as the passangers getting a very quick hop across the pennines

 

[Aviador]

Re: Ryanair

Probably because it would take longer than driving to the alternate airport in the first place.

 

[pilot_737]

Re: Ryanair

i know this is a bit whaky but surly being on every ones mind why doesnt a low cost carier from Leeds bradford to manchster operate because theres alot of passangers Leeds bradford loose out on to Manchester.so we should operate cheap no frills flights to there. airport get passangers and money? aswell as the passangers getting a very quick hop across the pennines

From my house in Idle (5 mins from LBA at quiet times) to Manchester airport it takes 45 mins when the roads aren't busy!

Flying would mean travel to airport, 5 mins, check in 30mins before the flight, around a 20 min flight, 10 min s to clear security at other end, then a commute to manchester centre.

so why bother flying there?!

 

[rhinoscrazy]

Re: Ryanair

i know this is a bit whaky but surly being on every ones mind why doesnt a low cost carier from Leeds bradford to manchster operate because theres alot of passangers Leeds bradford loose out on to Manchester.so we should operate cheap no frills flights to there. airport get passangers and money? aswell as the passangers getting a very quick hop across the pennines

From my house in Idle (5 mins from LBA at quiet times) to Manchester airport it takes 45 mins when the roads aren't busy!

Flying would mean travel to airport, 5 mins, check in 30mins before the flight, around a 20 min flight, 10 min s to clear security at other end, then a commute to Manchester centre.

so why bother flying there?!

unless the airport and ryanair or other carrier has a special desk where you can just show your bags and tickets and what ever else and show up around 20mins befor the flight departs and you go throught the fast track part of passport controll your streaght in

 

[pilot_737]

Re: Ryanair

Ok, but its not logical. It would not be a good business move because it's so close by car and train.

 

[Bigman]

Re: Ryanair

I live 5 minutes from LBA. My mate lives 5 minutes from MAN...yeah, I'd go with it. Has anyone tried out Transpennine recently?? Poor experience every time.

A chopper service might be useful...Bonds or CHC Scotia.

 

[stevolba]

Fresh hope for bus link between York and Leeds Bradford International Airport
10:35am Wednesday 7th July 2010


By Ron Godfrey »

NEW hopes were expressed today that a direct coach link between York and Leeds Bradford International Airport will be re-established.

It comes as Ryanair launches its Leeds Bradford winter schedule, which will operate on two aircraft with 13 routes.

Included in them will be new routes to and from Barcelona, Dusseldorf, Gdansk and Fuerteventura.

The new routes hold out the prospect of yet more European visitors heading for York.

And Tony Hallwood, commercial director at the airport, said the new destinations lent more force to discussions that were taking place between Visit York and Welcome To Yorkshire to re-establish the link run by The First Group, but scrapped in 2008.

He said: “We are continuing to talk with Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of Visit York and Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome To Yorkshire and to discuss the opportunities of recommencing the service in spring 2011.”

In terms of value for money there has never been a better time for Europeans to visit the UK because of the exchange rate which favours them.

Mrs Cruddas said: “The addition of these new routes is evidence of York and Yorkshire’s growing popularity in Europe. “By working together with Welcome To Yorkshire on dedicated marketing and PR campaigns, our message is generating an even stronger visitor demand. We’re also working closely with Leeds Bradford Airport on new discussions to bring back a direct transport link to York and we hope to see this initiative back on track.”

The 13 Ryanair routes compare with only three it operated out of Leeds Bradford last winter, making the Yorkshire airport the only one in the country to have grown its winter schedule.

Ryanair’s summer schedule and guaranteed lowest fares on 21 summer routes will continue until the end of October.

The expanding winter schedule should see Ryanair’s traffic at Leeds Bradford grow to one million passengers, directly sustaining up to 1,000 jobs in Yorkshire and indirectly generating more as a knock-on effect in hotels and bed and breakfast establishments.

The Irish airline is celebrating the new winter schedule by releasing 500,000 £9 seats for travel across its European network in September and October.

They are available for booking on ryanair.com until midnight this Thursday.

 

[Bigman]

If it does ever get reinstated, for christs sake don't charge £15 return!!!!! Madness!!!!

 

[stevolba]

If it does ever get reinstated, for christs sake don't charge £15 return!!!!! Madness!!!!

exactly, that was its downfall

 

[Aviador]

The Harrogate service is expensive too given that it's only 1 mile further to Harrogate than to Leeds.