Leeds Bradford: Airport Consultative Committee Questions & Responses

[Finger66]

Thanks as ever WH. Very interesting to note that the council went to public consultation off their own back, but as soon as LBA did something off their own back then LCC have complained. Seems a bit one sided to me! Let's hope all this extra support proves to the panel that it really needs to happen and whilst there is still a major reliance on LS and FR it is great to hear that they want to expand

 

[Aviador]

Thank you @White Heather for the superb report. Out of interest, did any of the councils plans pannel attend today's meeting?

 

[White Heather]

Excellent report Heather!

So let me get this straight... the council opened up the application to public comment without consulting the airport, then seemingly didn't expect them to launch their own campaign, and the subsequent wave of support completely took them by surprise. On the upside, seems like the level of support exceeds that garnered in 1994 (provided I recall correctly)

Regarding the noise quota given at 1450, from the cursory look I had at the planning documents different aircraft contribute different levels. Was it possibly based on the QC levels i.e. 0.5, 0.25?

All the conclusions we came to about SunExpress and easyJet seem to be true

The trend of increasing seasonality of the industry seems to be continuing - January seems to get quieter by the year, whereas summer seems to keep growing and growing

Yes, that's correct regarding the consultation.

As for the numbers, no, in 1994 (24H application) we achieved just short of 17,000, although we did have longer to do so. From memory, the naysayers, then known as LACAN, had around 2000, so nearly double what the teddybear lovers have this time. .

Yes the 1450 reflects the aircraft quota counts so if all flights were in QC0.5 (737 800) the annual movement limit at night would be only 2900, although all those departures between 0600 and 0700 would no longer count as night flights. It would be 2900 across the whole year between 2330 and 0559.

If all flights were on QC0.25 (737 MAX, NEO) it would be 5800 per year, except that the airport infrastructure is incapable if such numbers, so its purely theoretical. In any case, all QC0.25 is years away unless Jet2 suddenly base 20 A321NEOs!

Thank you @White Heather for the superb report. Out of interest, did any of the councils plans pannel attend today's meeting?

No. The one Councillor who is on both the plans panel and ACC sent apologies and was replaced by his colleague from Otley and Yeadon ward, who at one time was on the Plans Panel but isn't now.

 

[JRP]

Thank you for the update Heather, brilliant report

On Leeds city council they are just one big joke, you can tell they don’t support the airport, I hope it ends in tears for the council and there clowns that run it

 

[White Heather]

Just to add, the photos of the new CSZ show it to be very bright and spacious. Another world from what we have now. The two escalators are side by side with glass sides so they look wider. It all looks very impressive.

 

[YorkshireLad]

As for the numbers, no, in 1994 (24H application) we achieved just short of 17,000, although we did have longer to do so. From memory, the naysayers, then known as LACAN, had around 2000, so nearly double what the teddybear lovers have this time

Ah, I mistook the number of objections for the number of supporters. I guess that's what happens when it was well over a decade before my time

Either way, I'd say we're doing pretty well on the support front, no way would I have predicted 4000 supportive comments in such a small space of time considering how the objectors usually have the louder mouths

 

[SierraHotel]

Thanks as ever WH for your efforts. Greatly appreciated.

 

[Len Fish]

Thank you for the update Heather, brilliant report

On Leeds city council they are just one big joke, you can tell they don’t support the airport, I hope it ends in tears for the council and there clowns that run it

I agree it’s a bit rich for LCC to moan about not being forewarned about LBA’s own campaign (and naive that they didn’t anticipate the possibility) and themselves opening up the application to public consultation without advising LBA. They’re probably miffed because of all the extra work involved taking up both financial and staff resources at a time when like most Councils they’re strapped for cash. Still that’s their problem not LBA’s and from WH report it seems like they’re dealing with it. I don’t feel it necessarily demonstrates that the Council don’t support the airport ( past history suggests they do) and we have to hope the planning committee take a professional and considered approach when coming to a decision.

 

[Bigman]

Excellent report White Heather. What I don't understand is how the A1 bus is profitable but not the other 2. I use both of these regularly and are both are very well used.

 

[White Heather]

Excellent report White Heather. What I don't understand is how the A1 bus is profitable but not the other 2. I use both of these regularly and are both are very well used.

Not well used enough apparently and nowhere near the passenger numbers using the A1 to and from Leeds.

 

[quik123]

My experience of the A2 is that their is plenty of use between Greengates and Yeadon, especially at school time but not many passengers go all the way to the airport. Same going towards Bradford. Only a handful get on at LBA inc. some staff but the route gets busier further along.

 

[Bigman]

You would be surprised how many get on the A2 going to Harrogate. 17 got on a few weeks ago. A3 is always well used on a morning. A lot get on at Otley too.

 

[Aviador]

Excellent report White Heather. What I don't understand is how the A1 bus is profitable but not the other 2. I use both of these regularly and are both are very well used.

Well used doesn't equal profit. The cost of a purchasing a bus, and then the cost of running it and paying for two drivers every day at a cost of at least £35,000pa per driver. The costs can very quickly add up.

 

[lbaspotter]

You would be surprised how many get on the A2 going to Harrogate. 17 got on a few weeks ago. A3 is always well used on a morning. A lot get on at Otley too.

@Bigman I’ve always said to you the Bradford routes are loss making.
If anything happens surly the A1 has to be increased to every 20 mins along with the late night journeys reinstated.

 

[Bigman]

Let's see what happens now that they are under franchising next year. Personally I think the A1 needs to be every 15 minutes unless you can supplement it with a separate service through Headingley

 

[White Heather]

Let's see what happens now that they are under franchising next year. Personally I think the A1 needs to be every 15 minutes unless you can supplement it with a separate service through Headingley

I have alway thought the 27 should be re-routed to take in the airport. Seems nuts that we have a bus from Leeds via Headingley that goes so close to LBA but doesn't call there. The main problem is queuing traffic on the return, on Victoria Road or at the Yeadon end of Cemetary Road which could result in delays, but it would link LBA to Rawdon, Horsforth, West Park, Headingley, and University, none of which have any bus to LBA.

I have even suggested this to the WYCA on one of their 'surveys'.

 

[LBA4EVER]

When i landed back at LBA a couple of weeks back i always use the A3, only 3 of us boarded the A3 but the queue for the A1 was twice the length of the bus shelter!

 

[Bigman]

When i landed back at LBA a couple of weeks back i always use the A3, only 3 of us boarded the A3 but the queue for the A1 was twice the length of the bus shelter!

Precisely why the A1 needs sorting

 

[The Pole]

Precisely why the A1 needs sorting

Only 39 or so seats I recall, so needs a double decker, not all passengers will have suitcases, so would make sense! If you want to watch your case, sit downstairs, hand luggage get upstairs!!😆