A Station For Leeds/Bradford Airport
When I wrote The Glasgow Airport Rail Link Will Be A Tram-Train, I put in a section about the rail link to Leeds/Bradford Airport.
I had just read this article on the BBC is entitled Leeds Bradford Airport railway station one of three planned.
This is said.
The proposed new station about one mile (1.6km) from the airport would also act as a park and ride for commuters to Leeds and Harrogate.
I wonder if the trains at Leeds/Bradford Airport will go the last mile?
Even if the link is not electrified, why can’t we imitate the train/trams in Zwickau, that I wrote about in Riding The Vogtlandbahn.
A diesel multiple unit like a Class 172 train, refurbished for Airport and Park-and-Ride duties could leave the Harrogate Line at the Park-and-Ride and then proceed under tram rules on a dedicated track to a tram-like station at the Airport.
The needed infrastructure would be simple, with no electrification and stations built like the simple affairs on the London Tramlink, with no bridges.
Why not?
Obviously, the ideal solution would be to electrify the Harrogate Line and have trains run into the airport using onboard energy storage.
My only worry about the concept is that of an Airport Link doubling as a Park-and-Ride.
It would need careful capacity planning and be designed so that more frequent and longer trains could be accommodated if the need for more capacity arose.
After all, we don’t know if Yorkshire will vote to exit England!
The Anonymous Widower 