Leeds Bradford - General Thread

[White Heather]

Both an improved service to MAN and a train link to LBA are required. We have to accept that MAN is the intercontinental airport for the North, like it or not. They will always have routes we don't have and will always dominate aviation in the North, so better links are a good thing. That said, LBA should be expanded and operating to capacity, minimising leakage over the hill, and for that to happen, it needs better transport and in particular, a rail link, whether a parkway station nearby or its own tram train link.

 

[rmac]

Spot on White Heather. If you were a businessman/woman coming to Leeds from the US or China or wherever for the first time what would you expect in the way of transport into town? A rail link or tram? If none perhaps a regular coach journey with few stops into the centre, maybe a stop or two at major hotels?
When you arrive at LBA what do you have? A walk in the open to a bus shelter and a fairly non descript 757 service every half hour.
Hopefully the "new" buses promised will be that -new!
To at least partly compete with Manchester a decent transport link is essential.

 

[lbaspotter]

Like others have mentioned I would also love to see the new link road been built and direct trains to the airport or a parkway station been built. But things don't happen over night! Take a look at the Leeds trolleybus scheme for example. The Government has just announced today that the £250million Leeds trolleybus scheme will be the subject of a public inquiry now..

What LBA needs ASAP are better road links. Hopefully things might improve a little bit more next year as work is due to commence in Horsforth on the A65/Ring Road roundabout and Yorkshire Tiger are introducing newer buses and a higher frequency on the 757 bus route. Don't forget that bus journeys into and out of Leeds were cut earlier this year with the introduction of the "A65 Kirkstall Road Quality Bus Scheme" as well.

As has been mentioned I suppose the next step should be the introduction of integrated public transport travel options, so that passengers who arrive at LBA can buy through Bus/Train tickets. (It's already available for travel towards the airport).
LBA should be working with Metro to get Northern Rail to install a ticket machine in the terminal building seen as I don't see a connecting bus service to Horsfoth Rail Station been introduced any time soon due to access issues.
Meanwhile whilst their are at it they should also try and get National Express to either install a ticket machine in the terminal as well or get them to introduce some direct coach services operating into or via the airport.

 

[Seasider]

I am afraid that we are a "car society" and everbody wants to get parked/dropped off exactly where they wish to be. Don't forget the complaints about the drop off fee even though there was a free drop off, a short walk away (apologies for those with limited mobility).
It is all about "convenience" nowadays. Whilst being transported to the terminal after our flight from Dubrovnik last month, I got talking to a couple from Otley. When I asked if they had used the bus to get to/from the LBA, the reply was "it takes far too long, quicker by car" It's not surprising that this service was nearly dropped.

 

[adam]

It's a no win situation you couldn't have an express bus as it wouldn't be commercially viable or would run so infrequent it would be useless. To make it viable it has to serve the communities as a normal service bus but by doing this takes a bit longer. But the routes are hardly suitable for a quick journey anyway.

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]London draining life out of rest of country - Vince Cable

London "is becoming a giant suction machine draining the life out of the rest of the country", Business Secretary Vince Cable has warned.

Mr Cable made the comment while saying that he believed regional airports should be expanded rather than London's Heathrow Airport.

The Lib Dem minister told BBC Radio 4's Today some "more balance" was needed.

But Mayor of London Boris Johnson said Mr Cable's assertion was "stupefying and ridiculous".

And Labour criticised the coalition for "dismantling" regional developments agencies, arguing that its alternative approach to addressing economic imbalances in the UK had been "feeble".

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25444981[/textarea]

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Bird flock strikes as plane comes into land at Leeds-Bradford Airport

8:55pm Tuesday 31st December 2013 in Bradford Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Photograph of the Author By Rhys Thomas, T&A Reporter

Firefighters were called to Leeds Bradford Airport today after a plane was damaged by a flock of birds as it came into land.

Crews from Rawdon and Cleckheaton stations were placed on standby after part of the small aircraft suffered structural damage on its approach.

A fire service spokesman said the two people on board the plane were not injured and that the aircraft landed safely.

The incident happened at about 11am.

Source: http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/n ... d_Airport/[/textarea]

 

[White Heather]

Is that correct though? I understood that this aircraft had already declared an emergency due to structural damage before returning to LBA for a full emergency landing. This report makes it sound as though the flight was making a normal approach to LBA and then flew into a flock of birds and sustained the structural damage. Anyone know what the truth is and whether this is just sensationalist reporting??

 

[a300boy]

I suspect he hit the birds on departure as his flight trail on flightradar24 went down to the midlands then he turned back toward Lbia and made a safe landing around 35 mins after he took off.

 

[White Heather]

Thanks A300boy, in which case this report is complete fabrication. If he hit the birds on departure though, suffering structural damage, why fly the 100 miles or so down to the Midlands before turning back to LBA? It isn't as though on a small aircraft there is such a great need to burn off fuel before returning (and especially if it was only heading to the Channel Islands) and normally they would just go into the hold above LBA. It seems as though any structural damage might not have become obvious until further into the flight perhaps?

 

[a300boy]

No direct information but it was a single pilot private operator going back home after the holidays up here so maybe initially he thought continuing to Guernsey was a possibility and then decided it was not a good idea and best to be back on the ground asap and he is very familiar with Lbia.

 

[Aviador]

It's some time since these images were posted on here so some newer members might not have seen them. They include some parts of the old masterplan which are no longer relevant. It's important to note these pictures are completely visionary. They are not actual plans or renders produced by the current owners, they are just an example of what could be possible in the future if a substantial amount of money is ever spent on the airport.

View media item 2224Future Vision of Leeds Bradford Airport EGNM/LBA, hosted on Forums4airports.com

View media item 2223Future Vision of Leeds Bradford Airport EGNM/LBA, hosted on Forums4airports.com

View media item 2222Future Vision of Leeds Bradford Airport EGNM/LBA, hosted on Forums4airports.com

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Anyone clever enough to put up a picture showing what we have got today, to compare.

 

[Aviador]

Anyone clever enough to put up a picture showing what we have got today, to compare.

www.nickelarse.com

 

[lbaspotter]

Hi

Good news, Just found out that all the Tour de France (approved travel agents) have now designated Leeds/Bradford Airport as the official arrival point for fans wanting to come to watch the opening stages off the 2014 Grand Depart.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Does the lack of a full-length taxiway cause operational difficulties at busy periods?

 

[scousefowler]

I would say so yes. That and some extra parking stands would make a big difference.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Thanks for that picture Aviador.
Does the possible construction of a taxi way to runway 32 incorporate additional parking places.

 

[Aviador]

If you look on the picture above showing how the airport is today, it shows the former cross runway which becomes parking apron in the visionary picture. Just to reiterate that the pictures above are visionary and nothing more.

 

[lbaspotter]

If you look on the picture above showing how the airport is today, it shows the former cross runway which becomes parking apron in the visionary picture. Just to reiterate that the pictures above are visionary and nothing more.

www.nickelarse.com

Don't know if its worth pointing out but that the picture you've posted Aviador is out off date. As it dose not show stands 19 to 24 which were added a few years back and also the re-surfaced taxiway Delta as this one dose...