2012-08-27 — /travelprnews.com/ — Gatwick Airport has responded to a Department for Transport consultation about the future combined Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern rail franchise, which is due to commence in September 2013.
Gatwick Airport’s Head of Surface Access, Julia Gregory said: “High quality rail links are key to attracting airlines and passengers to an airport. Research shows that passengers consider the cost and convenience of rail before deciding which airport to fly from.1 Research also shows that airlines look for high quality rail links and services when deciding which airport to operate out of. 2
“Gatwick is without doubt the best connected London airport by rail but if we are to remain competitive and continue to attract major airlines serving the UKs key trading routes and encourage more people to travel by train then the quality and extent of those services has to improve.
“We have called on Government to specify in the tender document what kind of service a successful bidder would be expected to provide. That must include an obligation for any new operator to return the Gatwick Express to a dedicated, non-stop premium service with new fit-for-purpose carriages and the re-introduction of an on-board ticketing service.”
1 CAA data shows that for 55% of passengers, the cost and convenience of travelling to an airport is a key reason for choosing to fly from it.
2 A report from ARUP, Commissioned by Gatwick, shows how good transport links are one of the top three reasons for an airline choosing to locate at an airport.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Rail connectivity from Gatwick
- Gatwick Airport is already the best connected airport in London and the South East by rail
- Airport passengers can get a train direct to more than 120 locations around the UK from Gatwick including London (Victoria, St Pancras, and London Bridge), Brighton, Southampton, Portsmouth, Reading and Bedford.
- Train services from Gatwick also provide the fastest route into London than any other London airport.
- For example, business travellers can catch a train to London Bridge in 28 minutes and hop on the Jubilee line and be in Canary Wharf within six minutes – 25 minutes faster than from Heathrow.
- Holidaymakers who want to head straight to the west end can do so on the Gatwick Express to Victoria in just 30 minutes – 15 minutes faster than from Heathrow and 35 minutes faster than from Stansted.
- However, despite having the best rail connections the quality of those services lags well below other London, and even international airports.
- The quality and convenience of the Gatwick Express for example ranks below equivalents at Heathrow, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Stockholm airports according to a report by ARUP.
Rail users in numbers
- Currently 12 million passengers each year travel to and from Gatwick Airport by train – half of those take the Gatwick Express
- The number of people travelling between Gatwick and London by rail could increase by 30% in eight years and the number of non-air passengers travelling on the same services could grow by 29%.
- With limited capacity on rail networks in the South East, a clear balance must be struck around catering for the needs of both airport passengers and commuters. A win-win solution is possible, and without this it will be difficult for Gatwick to grow to support the UK economy’s demand for international connectivity.
- Any new proposed rail franchise should seek to cater for the needs of air passengers and commuters in the South East, and should require rail links to and from Gatwick to be improved. In particular, any new operator must provide a direct, express rail link to London with new carriages and re-introduce an on-board ticketing service.
For more information contact:
Gatwick Airport press office
t: + 44 (0) 1293 505000
e: gatwickmedia@gatwickairport.com
About Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is the UK’s second largest airport and the busiest single-runway airport in the world. It serves more than 200 destinations in 90 countries for around 34 million passengers a year on short- and long-haul point-to-point services. It is also a major economic driver for the South-East region, generating around 23,000 on-airport jobs and a further 13,000 jobs through related activities. The airport is 28 miles south of London with excellent public transport links, including the Gatwick Express. Gatwick Airport is owned by a group of international investment funds, of which Global Infrastructure Partners is the largest shareholder.
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