Glasgow: Infrastructure & Construction Updates

[Aviador]

Airport announces £25 million expansion

BAA has announced a £25 million expansion of Glasgow Airport over the next two years, a plan that includes developing a new food court as well as vital terminal infrastructure such as airport roads and aircraft taxiways.

The airport will invest £12 million in 2010, followed by £13 million in 2011. The move follows the opening last year of a £31 million terminal extension, named Skyhub, including a walk-through World Duty Free store plus enhanced retail and food & beverage services.

By 2014, when Glasgow hosts the Commonwealth Games, the airport expects to spend between £85 million and £100 million on its expansion.

The main Departures zone, Skylounge, will be upgraded and passenger flows improved to “create a more seamless journey through the airport,” said the company.

Glasgow Airport Managing Director Amanda McMillan said: "These improvements will deliver a better passenger experience, provide enhanced terminal facilities, and improve the efficiency of our taxiway and runway infrastructure, which are essential for the smooth operation of the airport.

"This is a significant investment in the future of Glasgow Airport, and underlines our commitment to grow the airport and deliver a better customer experience for our passengers."

McMillan said the airport was in talks with airlines about new routes for 2010, and was working to fill the capacity lost by the collapse of Flyglobespan this month.

Source

 

[News Guru]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Plan for second Glasgow runway ditched

The owners of Glasgow Airport have dropped plans to build a second runway and slashed forecasts for passenger growth under a new 30-year development plan

BAA said it expected to see 10 million people a year use Glasgow International by 2020, a significant increase on the 6.5 million passengers who crossed the terminal doors last year, with 16.4 million passengers a year expected by 2040.

But it blamed the global economic downturn for derailing previous forecasts of more than 20 million passengers using the airport by 2030, which would have necessitated a second runway.

As a result, BAA said its £200 million investment plan over the next decade, including improvements to the terminal building and additional aircraft stands, could be accommodated “within the footprint” of the existing airport campus.

Amanda McMillan, the airport’s managing director, said it was pinning its strategy on long-term growth.

“After a challenging period for the aviation industry, forecasts indicate that air passenger numbers will recover over the long term,” she said.

“It is essential that we are able to meet this demand if we are to sustain the economic contribution the airport makes.

“At the same time, our plans must also be affordable, achievable and sustainable. Given the decline in passenger traffic across UK airports, it is right we revise our long-term development strategy to reflect the reality of a changed market.”

However, aviation analysts said even the revised estimates for Glasgow would be “tough”.

“Bearing in mind Glasgow has managed to lose so many services lately, it’s going to be very ambitious,” one industry insider said.

“You have got to factor in that airlines are concentrating growth at Edinburgh. BMI has just dropped its Glasgow to Heathrow service but maintained the Edinburgh to Heathrow route. Nobody is prepared to make any real commitment to Glasgow with the exception of Jet2.”

Edinburgh recently dropped plans for a second runway and lowered its growth estimates. However, after overtaking Glasgow as Scotland’s favourite airport in 2007, it is forecast to more than double its passenger numbers to 20 million between 2030 and 2040 and has seen a steady expansion in scheduled flights to European destinations.

By contrast, Glasgow has lost more than two million passengers over a two-year downturn as many airlines have gone bust.

The traditional charter holiday market which made up the bulk of Glasgow’s traffic has suffered some of the worst effects of the downturn, though there have been signs that it is rebounding.

BAA, owned by Spanish infrastructure giant Ferrovial, is embroiled in a legal battle with the Competition Commission over a 2009 ruling that ordered it to sell either Glasgow or Edinburgh airport.

BAA claim that Glasgow Airport supports more than 7300 jobs in Scotland and contributes around £200m to the economy.

Its latest master plan for the airport, which updates a previous expansion plan published in 2006, will see an additional 39 stands built to accommodate a new generation of long-distance aircraft including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a second international pier and a new pier to the east of the main terminal.

BAA’s plans were welcomed by Glasgow and Renfrewshire council leaders yesterday.

Gordon Matheson, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “The announcement is another vote of confidence in the airport’s future.”

Derek Mackay, leader of Renfrewshire Council added: “It’s encouraging to note BAA’s continued commitment to growth and investment.”

Source

 

[News Guru]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

£17m plan will take airport to gold standard for 2014 Games

AIRPORT bosses are spending £1.5million upgrading the toilets ahead of next Year's Commonwealth Games.

The move forms part of a £17million revamp at Glasgow Airport which will have thousands of athletes jetting in for the 2014 event.

The latest cash injection follows the £21m already spent on improvements over the last two years on top of the tens of milllions of pounds spent five years ago on the new Skyhub building, which houses a hi-tech security zone for passengers, as well as a retail and commercial area.

For next year's visitors there will be no red carpet for the elite sportsmen and women who fly in to pursue their quest for glory, but one of the first sights to greet them will be the international arrivals area bathed in the colours of champagne, white and blue.

Reconfigured and with a bigger concourse, the arrivals zone will be the door to a city which will be seen by a global television audience of a billion when the Games start.

As well as the spruced up toilets, money will also be spent upgrading inter-national arrivals and the main check-in hall with a feature Departures wall.

Read more: http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/17m- ... n.22597541

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

I hope they're gold plated toilets for the amount they're spending. Seriously though, too many public places don't spend enough on public conveniences. All too many are poorly designed ,often too small, dirty and smelly. I visited the Trinity shopping centre in Leeds yesterday and it was a pleasure to use. There were spacious, clean, tidy and well thought out with ample room for disabled and people with push chairs.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Airport's better boarding plan takes off

Glasgow Airport is to invest more than £3 million extending one of the airport's three piers, allowing more passengers to board planes without stepping onto the asphalt aprons.

 

[Aviador]

Plans for direct tram-train link between Glasgow Airport and city

The specially-designed tram-train would be operational by 2025 and cut journey times to 16.5 minutes
Plans to create a "tram-train" link between Glasgow Airport and the city centre have been unveiled.

The £144m Glasgow Airport Access Project could see journey times cut to 16.5 minutes and would bypass the need to use the busy M8.

It would involve a specially-designed hybrid tram-train using the existing railway network and on-street tracks.

It comes seven years after the Scottish government scrapped plans for a direct rail link on the grounds of cost.

If approved the system would be operational by 2025, with construction due to begin in 2022.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-38089038

 

[juliet-fox-9]

ZeroAvia picks Glasgow airport site for fuel cell powertrain manufacturing

ZeroAvia will receive a £9 million ($12 million) grant from Scottish Enterprise to assist with the construction of the facility, which is forecast to create 350 jobs.

ZeroAvia claims it has orders worth $10 billion for its engines and supporting components from airlines and OEMs.