http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15227879

Extract...

---quote---
New ways of connecting airports, such as a high-speed rail link
between Heathrow and Gatwick, are to be considered in the coming
months as the government reviews its aviation policy.

A 180mph (288km/h) train service between the two locations has been
proposed, The Times reported.

And the multibillion-pound idea is to be studied by ministers, the
Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed.

But Heathrow's operator, BAA, said it "provided no extra runway
capacity".

The idea also faced "seemingly insurmountable technical, operational,
political financial challenges, and would take many years to deliver",
the company added.

The scheme, which would create a so-called "virtual hub" running from
west London to West Sussex, was welcomed by Gatwick Airport, however.

Anything which provided "short to medium-term alleviation of capacity
issues in the South East" should be considered, although the funding
and route would need careful consideration, a spokesman said.
[...continues...]
---/quote---


The government will also be reviewing air traffic control rules for
porcine aviation.

New ways of connecting airports, such as a high-speed rail link
between Heathrow and Gatwick, are to be considered in the coming
months as the government reviews its aviation policy.

A 180mph (288km/h) train service between the two locations has been
proposed, The Times reported.


Makes sense, the Tories (sorry coalition's) secret agenda is to turn
Birmingham Airport into another London Airport, using HS2 as the
mechanism, presumably the new link would plug into HS2.

The runway extension at Birmingham to accommodate the largest jets
(fully laden) has already begun.

In message
, at
08:55:32 on Sat, 8 Oct 2011, allantracy
remarked:
the Tories (sorry coalition's) secret agenda is to turn Birmingham
Airport into another London Airport, using HS2 as the mechanism,

Why a secret, it's a pretty obvious way to increase (air) capacity at
much lower low cost/impact than a third runway at Heathrow. And
Birmingham Airport's much easier to get to. People also forget that even
today's WCML does Birningham Airport-Euston in 74mins, compared to 1hr
by tube from Heathrow.

presumably the new link would plug into HS2.

Not if HS2 fails to have a station at Heathrow.

The runway extension at Birmingham to accommodate the largest jets
(fully laden) has already begun.

A plan hatched under NuLab.
--
Roland Perry

On Sat, 08 Oct 2011 08:20:45 -0700, Mizter T wrote:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15227879
snip

Off-topic, but I've noticed recently that this use of "mull", which has
always struck me as distinctively American headlinese, has turned up more
and more in UK publications this year. I wonder why now, rather than at
any time during the last decade or so?

--
Bewdley, Worcs. ~90m asl.

Why a secret, it's a pretty obvious way to increase (air) capacity at
much lower low cost/impact than a third runway at Heathrow.

It's the increased airline capacity bit they're trying their hardest
to be dishonest about.

Scrapping a third Heathrow runway and building HS2 instead was
supposed to be a way of reducing internal flights.

In fact, HS2 will actually allow for the additional airline capacity
the third Heathrow runway would have provided, it's just that the
third runway will now be in Birmingham.

Roland Perry wrote on 08 October 2011 17:20:16 ...
In message
, at
08:55:32 on Sat, 8 Oct 2011,
remarked:
the Tories (sorry coalition's) secret agenda is to turn Birmingham
Airport into another London Airport, using HS2 as the mechanism,

Why a secret, it's a pretty obvious way to increase (air) capacity at
much lower low cost/impact than a third runway at Heathrow.

How exactly does a rail link between LHR and LGW increase *air*
capacity? The problem at Heathrow is said to be that the runways are
98% fully used. Gatwick is already the world's busiest single-runway
airport. So how is this capacity increase achieved?
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

On Sat, 8 Oct 2011 16:25:25 +0000 (UTC), David Buttery
wrote:

On Sat, 08 Oct 2011 08:20:45 -0700, Mizter T wrote:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15227879
snip

Off-topic, but I've noticed recently that this use of "mull", which has
always struck me as distinctively American headlinese, has turned up more
and more in UK publications this year. I wonder why now, rather than at
any time during the last decade or so?

It has been around for longer than the last decade, usually in the
form "mulled over". According to the SED you can blame the 'Merks -
"colloq. US 1879", maybe derived from the action of reducing something
to small pieces etc. [for the purpose of examination] ("mull" being
not 'Merkan but ultimately Teutonic via Old and Middle English).

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message
, at
08:55:32 on Sat, 8 Oct 2011, allantracy
remarked:
the Tories (sorry coalition's) secret agenda is to turn Birmingham Airport
into another London Airport, using HS2 as the mechanism,

Why a secret, it's a pretty obvious way to increase (air) capacity at much
lower low cost/impact than a third runway at Heathrow.

But it only works if turn up and go fares are available at rock bottom
prices, which is almost certainly unlikely to happen
..
No-one (outside the natural catchment area) is going to chose to fly from
Birmingham (as an alternative to London) if it costs 200 pounds return to
get there

Tim

On Oct 8, 5:20*pm, Roland Perry wrote:

Why a secret, it's a pretty obvious way to increase (air) capacity at
much lower low cost/impact than a third runway at Heathrow. And
Birmingham Airport's much easier to get to. People also forget that even
today's WCML does Birningham Airport-Euston in 74mins, compared to 1hr
by tube from Heathrow.

Or 15 mins by Heathrow Express from Paddington?

"Richard J." wrote in message

Roland Perry wrote on 08 October 2011 17:20:16
...
In message
,
at 08:55:32 on Sat, 8 Oct 2011,
remarked:
the Tories (sorry coalition's) secret agenda is to turn Birmingham
Airport into another London Airport, using HS2 as the mechanism,

Why a secret, it's a pretty obvious way to increase (air) capacity at
much lower low cost/impact than a third runway at Heathrow.

How exactly does a rail link between LHR and LGW increase *air*
capacity? The problem at Heathrow is said to be that the runways are
98% fully used. Gatwick is already the world's busiest single-runway
airport. So how is this capacity increase achieved?

Indeed, this link only makes sense if Gatwick gets its second runway.
Equally, it would greatly strengthen the business case for that second
runway. It's not allowed until after 2019, but of course, even if they
started planning for it today, it wouldn't open this side of 2020.