On 09/10/2014 11:32, wrote:
London TravelWatch published yesterday a report on improving surface access to London's airports. It can be found at:- http://www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/news/view?id=497&x[0]=news/list

That's an interesting report, with fairly sensible (if fairly obvious)
conclusions. But one item on p6 stuck me as a bit odd, it says:

"London’s Oystercard/contactless payments ticketing system should be
extended to cover journeys on Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect to
and from Heathrow Airport, and on journeys to and from Luton Airport
Parkway and Stansted Airport stations"

I would have thought that covering journeys to/from Luton Airport (not
merely Airport Parkway) would be the think to aim for. Since the
shuttle bus is no longer free, without this arriving passengers will
have to find cash to pay for the bus, and only then could they use their
Oyster cards for the rail part of the journey. At present if they can
find the (well-hidden) places to buy rail tickets in the airport they
can buy a through ticket.

The report also says on p27 that the bus is free to those holding rail
tickets - this is very misleading, as it only applies to those who have
bought a rail ticket to/from the *airport*, i.e. which has a higher fare
because it includes the shuttle bus element. All others have to pay the
extra fare, currently £1-60.



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