Luton aiport to get better rail links

Luton airport's accessability is about to improve as part of the recent govt bailout to upgrade ten railway stations.

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has announced a £50 million fund as Station Champions Chris Green and Sir Peter Hall warned that station upgrades must be accelerated dramatically. In a new report, the two Champions warn that the poor condition of many stations is becoming an obstacle to rail growth. 

Spending needs to be increased by 25% to £800m a year in the decade from 2014 passenger satisfaction is to reach acceptable levels. The improvements include better integration with other transport modes, as well as more car park spaces. Signage is also singled out for criticism: TOCs should no longer be installing their own designs, it says.

Lord Adonis, announcing an immediate £50 million fund for ten stations - Clapham Junction, Barking, Stockport, Manchester Victoria, Preston, Wigan North Western, Liverpool Central, Warrington Bank Quay, Crewe and Luton - said he supported the Champions' call for a comprehensive list of minimum standards for all stations, aimed at improving the daily travelling experience of passengers and attracting more passengers onto the railways.

The report, 'Better Rail Stations', has been compiled after extensive research in Britain and other countries. The main finding is that many busy British stations are slipping behind the standards achieved by other businesses with a public face, such as retail chains, and that present investment plans will only deal adequately with the largest, flagship stations. For now priority should be given to introducing minimum station standards when new franchises start and dealing with as many problems as possible with existing funding.

Major improvements are needed in bus/tram/rail integration, as well as facilities for cyclists. It also points out that signage is 'tending to fragment into different lettering styles and colours through individual branding. This lack of consistency makes it harder for customers to focus on the relevant information, and can cost up to £2m in resigning when franchises change hands'.

The report follows hard on the heels of Network Rail's own stations report, which was published last week and summarised plans to invest £3.25 billion between now and 2014. Much of this, however, will be spent at a relatively small number of key locations, such as Birmingham New Street.

In the meantime, if you prefer- why not travel to Luton airport by car- there is excellent cheap, secure onsite parking.