Infrastructure, Construction & Developments

[Ray Finkle]

Another runway update from flugsnug. Considering the A45 was supposed to be opening in April you can see just how much the snow has set them back, six weeks behind was the last I heard.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cknrRDzxtNk&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The important thing is that the work is proceeding.

Can you remind me when the extended runway is due to go operational?

 

[Ray Finkle]

It's due to be operational sometime in April 2014 as far as I know that is still on schedule.

On another note the new ATC tower became live at midday today with the staff moving in on the shift changeover.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

After looking at recent pictures of the A45 realiment due to be partial opened at end of April 2013 and mid May 2013 and then completed late June 2013, then the intial works on runway extension that have started that is due to be fully operational by spring 2014, i would say that there is still too much work left to be done on A45, with snow delays, could be six ie end of June or mid July this before A45 completed, and the runway extension itself that may not be spring 2014, but mid May 2014 instead. What i still can't understand is why this project was not done years ago instead of now, because its going to take the airport some time to get 18 million passengersv through its terminals within the next ten years...but we all hope

 

[Ray Finkle]

Hi Andrew and welcome to the forum.

I can't see the A45 opening until mid June at the earliest either. I'm hoping there is not much of an impact on the runway extension itself as it is now being construction alongside the newly diverted road.

What i still can't understand is why this project was not done years ago instead of now, because its going to take the airport some time to get 18 million passengersv through its terminals within the next ten years...but we all hope

Totally agree, as do many others I speak to, it should have been operational 20 years ago.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Also what i can't like many people cannot understand is if the airport planning application for the runway extension and realigment of the A45 were apporved by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council on the 16/12/2008, barring the far too long process for an contractor to undertake and complete this massive project.So why has it taken bosses at Birmingam Airport 3 years and seven months to start this massive project, so by June 2009 the following year the preferred contractors would have been selected, January 2010 the work would have commenced and by June 2012 all completed and open, and not mid may 2014.

 

[Ray Finkle]

A valid point. Was there not some issue over what was then Advantage West Midlands funding or part funding the A45 diversion which resulted in a long delay and the airport and Highways Agency having to come up with another way to pay for it? My memory isn't the greatest but this may well have been when they opted for a cheaper diversion over the original tunnel?

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Regarding that very important issue raised by ray, about advantage west midlands funding that was there to fund pojects in and around the west midlands for business investment at the time of up to 2010, just before the last general election in may 2010, so where did all that socalled hundreds and hundreds of millions of pounds go to when it could have been used partially to fund the airports runway extension and A45 projects. By now the airports runway extension and A45 would have probably been completed for june-july 2012....we will never know..

 

[Ray Finkle]

Runway update from flugsnug.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7PvyEL4oMc&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

[Aviador]

Thanks once again Ray for posting the update. It's a shame flugsnug hasn't found us yet.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Plans are to be announced tomorrow for a new terminal and eventually a possible second runway. The original plan was to have the second runway to the South East towards the village of Catherine-de-Barnes but the new proposal will be North East with the terminal being built around the new HS2 station. The big advantage is less homes would be affected and the current runway would close overnight.

It's not clear whether it is a taxiway between the two sites or just a people mover but they're a good mile apart with the railway and M42 between them. It'll be interesting to see more details.



[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5M_w4kSNCM&feature=player_embedded[/video]

Two news articles.

http://www.itv.com/news/central/2013-06 ... nd-runway/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bi ... m-22819552

 

[Ray Finkle]

Further to the above today's speech by Mr Kehoe.

Speech delivered by Paul Kehoe, CEO Birmingham Airport, on 10th June 2013 to an audience in Birmingham

Introduction

I’d like to welcome you all to today’s launch and thank Mark and Sir Albert for their kind words.

This is a critical time for UK aviation. The Government will be making decisions in the next 24 months that will affect the competitiveness of the Midlands for a generation, or more.

Clearly, Britain’s aviation arrangements are failing to meet the needs of passengers and the economy. That is not just my view. It is the view of political leaders from all parties.

The Airports Commission was formed last November. And Sir Howard Davies has put down a challenge to the industry to deliver a long-term vision for UK aviation that will support balanced economic growth.
This challenge has been set with the backdrop of a recession and an aviation industry that is rapidly changing in response to global trends.

We have to plan for a doubling in air traffic over the next fifty years. And I think we are all beginning to realise that it is unsustainable to keep relying on a system that funnels a third of our traffic through a constrained Heathrow.

Over the last ten years, we have seen a dramatic rise in new city trading pairs and point-to-point travel. This is being reflected in the development of new aircraft – Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

We have also seen the growth of new airline business models. The rise of the Gulf airlines and the Asian economies has led to a reorientation of global air travel to the East and a new fight has emerged for hub dominance.

The future shape of the industry is unclear.

What it is becoming increasingly apparent is that a one airport solution is not a national aviation strategy. It will not give the UK the resilience or flexibility it needs to be respond to these trends in the long-run.

We need a strategy that delivers for the economy – not just in the South East, but across the whole of the UK.

And so today, we are here to launch our vision for the future of the Airport. A vision, we believe, will both unlock and respond to the economic potential of our region.

Birmingham Airport has the second largest business catchment of any long-haul airport in Britain. Our catchment economy generated £55 billion pounds of exports last year and is specialised in high-value manufacturing sectors – automotive, aerospace, machinery, military equipment and transport goods.
But, despite this, the UK’s greatest manufacturing region does not have the direct connectivity it needs to support our businesses and customers.

That is why we are here today. Because, as a region, we recognise that the past thirty years has not been good enough.

Our vision is about ensuring that our children have the infrastructure and connectivity they need to plug into global wealth.

We have already made a commitment to serving local businesses. Next year, our £70 million pound runway extension will be fully operational. This will deliver long-haul capacity to serve the region’s needs and help take the pressure off the South East in the short-term.

But is about responding to the Airports Commission and delivering our vision for expanding the airport to better serve passengers and local businesses.

Our vision for Birmingham Airport aligns with existing investment plans

Our response to the Airports Commission has been carefully designed to align with existing regional development and national transport investment strategies: the M42 gateway, HS2, the Greater Birmingham Project.

What we are proposing is not just about runways. Taken together, these strategies will establish an economic hub for the Midlands.

We have the opportunity to launch a 15 year infrastructure and transport investment that will secure the Midland’s role in the UK, and international, economy for the twenty-first century.

And our proposals have wide stakeholder support – which is visible from the people gathered here today. You will more from some of our leading business leaders shortly.

So, what exactly are we proposing?

We have been asked by the Airports Commission to submit information as to why further development of aviation capacity is needed, in line with national demand in order to maintain the UK’s position as an international hub for aviation.

The 2003 Aviation White Paper safeguarded a second runway for Birmingham Airport to the West of the current runway. What we are proposing is to shift that location to the East so that it can be aligned with HS2.
The new site will mean that Birmingham Airport could handle up to 70 million passenger per year. The advantage of moving the runway location is that there would be further room for development in response to future need.

But I have to emphasise that we are talking about twenty, thirty, forty years from now. We must have a vision for the future. A vision that gives future generations the infrastructure they need to compete in the international economy.

Our runway extension will take the pressure off airports in the South East in the short-term, but we must prepare for what comes next.

How does this fit into a national aviation strategy?

I have said it before, and I will say it again, I don’t think that a third runway at Heathrow is the right solution.

It is a 10 million passenger answer to a 100 million passenger problem.

Expanding Heathrow to beyond 480,000 Air Traffic Movements will simply expose too many people living in West London to unacceptable noise and air pollution.

What we need is Great Airports for Great Cities. This means London, Birmingham and Manchester all having the airports they need to succeed. A network of airports to provide the flexibility and resilience the UK needs to respond to changes in aviation industry.

If the Commission decides that the solution to the South East is a new mega-hub, and it can overcome the immense challenges to building it, Birmingham Airport is ideally placed to support London during that transition period.

However, if the Commission decides to operate Heathrow as a constrained hub and chooses to expand existing airports, Birmingham Airport will be an essential piece of the puzzle. Our central location makes us an ideal location for a more dispersed aviation model for UK aviation. As they have in Germany.

Birmingham Airport meets the Commission’s criteria

Our proposal meets the Commission’s criteria because it is not just about runways – it is fundamentally about serving the economy.

The result give the region the vital infrastructure it needs to keep the greater Midlands economy plugged into global wealth for the next century.

I sincerely believe that an expanded Birmingham is the best way to serve our manufacturing industries, our great British exports and the Midlands economy.

And for the national economy, having great long-haul airports across the UK will help rebalance growth.
We believe that the UK’s great cities need great airports to compete in the twenty-first century.

Today we are announcing that we can build one for Birmingham.

http://www.balancedaviationdebate.com/p ... speech.pdf

 

[Ray Finkle]

This image gives an overview of the plans.



There is also more info on the link below including a larger picture of the above for those interested.

http://www.balancedaviationdebate.com/p ... cation.pdf

 

[Aviador]

Interesting times for BHX. I like the idea of being able to close the existing runway during the night in favour of the new second runway. That should gain wide support from people living close to the airports present runway.

 

[Ray Finkle]

The new site for a second runway definitely seems more sensible than the original option which would have put many thousands more homes under a new noise footprint. This new plan only really has the towns of Water Orton and Coleshill to the north and the village of Meridan to the south which would be affected. The site also has only a handful of homes currently on it, most of it is a huge landfill area.

Of course, despite the dramatic headlines from some media outlets, this report is just a response to the government strategy to address capacity in the south east and is more of a 'this is what could be possible' should ministers choose BHX as an option. It will be interesting to see what those ministers decide.

Meanwhile I hope the airport haven't taken their eye off the immediate future, 70 million pax per year would be nice but currently you can't fly direct to the likes of Madrid, Warsaw, Prague, Lisbon.......

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Of course, despite the dramatic headlines from some media outlets, this report is just a response to the government strategy to address capacity in the south east and is more of a 'this is what could be possible' should ministers choose BHX as an option. It will be interesting to see what those ministers decide.

Absolutely right and it has to be read in that political (not necessarily party political) context.

Paul Kehoe seems to like the dramatic effect. His recent comments about the UK requiring only eight regional airports is another example.

Today's comments are attracting much incredulous reaction in certain aviation web quarters. lums:

 

[Ray Finkle]

Yes unfortunately I've read some of those discussions on various other forums, but sensationalistic headlines sell papers and get people talking about the story so I guess it's job done for them. It's also the reason why I didn't post links to the articles on here as I didn't want this thread to go down the same route.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Another runway update.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9dNcx3Hj2w&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

[Hassaan]

The A45 looks very close to completion.

 

[Ray Finkle]

It's coming along very well and considering the weather we've had this year I think they've done a cracking job. I'm no expert but I reckon the link up with the existing road will happen in the next week or two.