The (suggested) end of all domestic uk flights

Whilst waiting in a doctors waiting room yesterday, I came across an in house newspaper for the Stagecoach group. I wasnt aware that they are a substantial shareholder of Virgin Rail, and confirm that by the end of this year further increases in frequency are due on the West Coast Mainline, Manchester to London 3 per hour. Still will undoubtedly affect airlines like VLM who are for the most part point to point and taking few transit passengers via LCY, unlike the MAN/LHR and LGW routes.Incidently VLM’s route from LPL to LCY is now only 3 per day Monday to friday.

Here’s one of those strange but true things…..

West Coast Mainline has been improved, with Virgn now using faster trains (and possibly more frequent?) between Manchester and London.

VLM’s announced that they flew more passengers on MAN-LCY than last year (about 114,000, up 0.5%).

Who’d have thought that the air route continues to be more convenient for some travellers despite all the “hassle” now associated with flying.

Actually, since the upgrade to the WCML, there has been a distinct drop in passenger traffic to London from Manchester (if you look across all routes). If you look between 2004 and 2005 there was a 14% drop on the MAN-LCY route, a drop of about 18,000 pax. In 2005 there were just over 115,000 scheduled pax between MAN and LCY, and therefore I make the 113,499 pax they claim to have carried as being a decrease, although to be fair there could be errors in both the CAA and airline data. Either way, this is no where near as high as the passenger levels of 2004, roughly the time that Virgin has launched it’s improved service between the two cities.

I travel to London a lot with work, and often travel by train because if you’re in the centre of the city, it is often quicker (door to door) to go by train, and you have to remember that some of these airlines and airports are clients, so its not a decision which is taken lightly.

I had a similar experience when I thought I’d use the train for a change travelling London to Glasgow in December.

Train £380 return, BA £45 return.

I flew.

1L.

Good for you!

The standard return fare between Manchester and London is still £219, though.

Many people, myself included, don’t have the luxury of planning their business travel weeks in advance. 🙂

Not being funny, but I’ve got tickets for February to london from new street for £20 return 😕 That being on virgin trains.

Here’s one of those strange but true things…..

West Coast Mainline has been improved, with Virign now using faster trains (and possibly more frequent?) between Manchester and London.

VLM’s announced that they flew more passengers on MAN-LCY than last year (about 114,000, up 0.5%).

Who’d have thought that the air route continues to be more convenient for some travellers despite all the “hassle” now associated with flying.

Perhaps Virgin’s £219 standard class peak MAN-LON return fare has something to do with it.

Cheaper fares are available but if you need to be in London any earlier than 11:00 then you’ve no option but to pay peak fare.

Here’s one of those strange but true things…..

West Coast Mainline has been improved, with Virgn now using faster trains (and possibly more frequent?) between Manchester and London.

VLM’s announced that they flew more passengers on MAN-LCY than last year (about 114,000, up 0.5%).

Who’d have thought that the air route continues to be more convenient for some travellers despite all the “hassle” now associated with flying.

Edited to add that when I looked yesterday, the VLM timetable was indicating up to 12 weekday return services in the summer. Perhaps they may be due to announce something shortly or “delete” the extra 4 return sectors to boost loads on the existing 8?

Says he travel London to Scotland now by rail on principle.

I hope its not on principle and on account of him being barred for being a royal pratt!

See a few posts above Carl. This happened.

I can confirm the MP who came out with statement was Tim Yeo, a conservative member, not sure if he’s a shadow minister. Says he travel London to Scotland now by rail on principle.

Take the comments by the MP from Rent a Plank with a pinch of salt. Can you imagine what it would do to the economy?

This is the biggest issue here. Without domestic flights, the lieks of Leeds and Edinburgh could kiss goodbye to their succesful financial centres, mainly because they would not be able to provide quick access to one of the world’s two major financial centres (i.e. London). Furthermore, other companies would retraunch back to London and it would be a disaster for the country, especially when politicians are so desperate to encourage economic growth within the regions. Such growth is dependent upon the quality of links to major cities, not least London.

And which land routes would cover the Belfast to London route? Shall we build another titanic?

Points out the ridiculousness of it exactly. Just give up on the stupid idea now. There are some idiots in the world who engage mouth before brain and Mr Yeo is another example of this. Scaremongering the lot of it

If it does happen i’ll gladly let the Iraqi government decapatate me in 20 years 😉

I must say, I really do sympathise with MP Tim Yeo for wanting to stop all UK domestic flights.
Just imagine, the poor guy was on a chinless wonders version of a pub crawl.
However, in this instance, it was a UK golf club crawl in a private jet covering 3 courses in 1 day. Probably his timings were somewhat delayed in the crowded skies with hundreds of metal tubes filled with peasants supporting the economy.
Tim, are you any way related to that other infamous MP, Alan B`Stard?

Take the comments by the MP from Rent a Plank with a pinch of salt. Can you imagine what it would do to the economy?

I think this is insane, for the sheer fact it would leave me up a creek without a paddle :p. I fly with BA on several occasions between London and Manchester and occasionally bmi and without the flights, itd cost about £20 more to travel Virgin Trains. . .

. . .or subject myself to 5 hours on National Express which takes the pi…mickey 😀

And which land routes would cover the Belfast to London route? Shall we build another titanic?

They’ll need to build three, one that calls in at Orkney and Shetland and one for Barra, Tiree, Uist, Harris and Lewis etc. Not to mention the special ‘ambulance’ Titanics that can get all the way up the River Clyde to the Southern General Hospital.

The so called Greens, along with the brainless MPs that we have at the moment are hell bent in turning the clock back and send this country back into the middle ages , were the only form of transport was horse and carts., (all the Donkeys are in parliament)
They seem to fail to realize that if the transport sector of this country was to stop tomorrow , this country would be on it knees in a few days ( remember the fuel protest,)

The have tried to price the common folk of the road and that has not succeeded ,the are doing the same with trains and now their they are going to try it with air travel, so that only the richest will have it available to them and Government ministers

At the moment, were do the loony greens want to stop, do we slaughter all the animals , because they give off to much methane, concrete over all grass and woodlands because of the Co2 emissions ( that solves the problem of airport congestion, world biggest Runway):rolleyes: :rolleyes:

That is quite an absurd answer to a problem. Instead of taking a step back in the process of innovation, a step forward would be better in every sense. I do know for a fact, that BP is working hard and will release in the near future sampels for testing a low Octane ATF, that will help airlines cut emissions.

I do my best! 😉

Remember the name:

TIM YEO (conservative; small “c”).

Sadly these are the people that are supposed to be representing THE ELECTORATE…:rolleyes:

So Mr Politician, you going to electrify the rail line up to Aberdeen from Edinburgh, to replace the domestic flights that are going to be dropped? Hmm…?

No?

Thought not. :rolleyes:

CARRY ON FLYING…

wonderfully snide… I like it. Well done 😀