On 2016\06\21 10:02, tim... wrote:

"Basil Jet" wrote in message
...
On 2016\06\20 21:56, tim... wrote:

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 21:35:37 on Mon, 20 Jun
2016, Basil Jet remarked:
I think they should just build a dedicated walkway with a travelator

Luton Airport to the station is about 1.2 miles, which is similar to
the distance from Marble Arch station to Tottenham Court Road
station. i.e. three tube stops.

The travelator at Montparnasse is one of the longest I've seen, but
still only 180m. But the problem with Luton is it would be
substantially uphill too.

If you disembark at one of the remote hubs at LHR the "walk" to passport
control is the best part of a mile

I did it several times on my last overseas gig and on one occasion times
the walk to see how long it was.

There are a series of travelators to make the journey easier. I wasn't
suggesting a single mile-long travelator

Even if it's in sections, you still have a mile-worth of vehicle
continuously moving slowly, even though the trains from London only
arrive at the station every fifteen minutes or so. There must be
multiple ways to provide quick journeys for heavily peaked demand more
cheaply with a (mostly) narrower footprint.

I think you over-estimate the quantity of arrivals at the station

When I last went there (three weeks ago) -

I got out of the station (midday) to see a bus waiting, it already had
some people on it

We waited there for about 7-8 minutes whilst they sorted out all of the
passengers who didn't have tickets, but it was still not full when we
left. (IIRC there was also a southbound arrival whilst I waited)

Coming back it was during the 5pm rush hour and the buses were delayed
due to normal home from work congestion and there wasn't a bus at the stop.

There was already a huddle of people waiting.

It was about 3-4 minutes before the bus arrived, it took 2 minutes to
empty arriving pax, then we all crowded on and the bus left - again a
total wait of about 8 minutes for one full bus load.

So 8 buses per hour, 80 pax per bus = 640 pax per hour.

is 10 people per minute.

Not a huge number, is it?

I know that they arrive at the station (and the airport) in waves, but
ISTM that wave will flatten itself out due to the normal differences
that people have in walking time (with their luggage) from the platform
to the start of the walkway.

You're talking as if 1.2 miles of travelators is a free or cheap option.
It uses more land than a single track railway, and it needs a roof over
the whole length. I strongly suspect it costs more and uses more energy
in use. Travelators are used where the demand is continuous, which is
not the case here. The Stourbridge Town branch is similar to what should
be done (although that was built double track and subsequently singled).
The Stourbridge Town branch will not be converted to a travelator any
time soon.