Public Transport and building Birmingham International
My previous post, BIA runway approval starts ambitious growth plans , noted the successful approval of runway extension plans for Birmingham International Airport and the potential this has to turn Birmingham into a global hub with it's easy transport links to London and the whole UK. The success however won't be turned on light a switch when the runway opens.
Airportwatch has reported on the Birmingham Post report from June, http://airportwatch.org.uk/news/detail.php?art_id=3296, that showed that collective support by the City Council, Advantage West Midlands and Marketing Birmingham among others will be required to make airlines choose Birmingham airport above others; financial support would be key to keep airlines running while establishing routes.
One key issue and linked to the planning approval is the use of the public transport to travel to the airport with only 20% of passengers currently using public transport. Currently Birmingham International does not benefit from it's on-site station with no 24 hour rail service pattern and doesn not have a night bus network in stark contrast to competitor airports Manchester, Stansted and Gatwick.
If Birmingham want's to become a global hub and to encourage more people to use the airport both from within the region and as an extension of London's airport network and the wider country it needs to enable people to travel easily to and from it 24 hours a day using public transport. The High Speed Line will provide a service offering a real choice for Londoners to fly from Birmingham but this will only work if we can offer real public transport mobility within the Greater Birmingham area otherwise the runway extension may well be an extension too far.
Airportwatch has reported on the Birmingham Post report from June, http://airportwatch.org.uk/news/detail.php?art_id=3296, that showed that collective support by the City Council, Advantage West Midlands and Marketing Birmingham among others will be required to make airlines choose Birmingham airport above others; financial support would be key to keep airlines running while establishing routes.
One key issue and linked to the planning approval is the use of the public transport to travel to the airport with only 20% of passengers currently using public transport. Currently Birmingham International does not benefit from it's on-site station with no 24 hour rail service pattern and doesn not have a night bus network in stark contrast to competitor airports Manchester, Stansted and Gatwick.
If Birmingham want's to become a global hub and to encourage more people to use the airport both from within the region and as an extension of London's airport network and the wider country it needs to enable people to travel easily to and from it 24 hours a day using public transport. The High Speed Line will provide a service offering a real choice for Londoners to fly from Birmingham but this will only work if we can offer real public transport mobility within the Greater Birmingham area otherwise the runway extension may well be an extension too far.
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