Continental: Gatwick Express consultation flawed
01.11.06
Continental Airlines has slated the consultation into the future of the Gatwick Express high speed train link between central London and Gatwick Airport as 'flawed' and called for it to be withdrawn. The US airline, who operate from Gatwick Airport is 'strongly opposed to any diminution in the offering of the dedicated, non-stop rail service between Gatwick Airport and Central London'.
The Department for Transport's (DfT) Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) Consultation Document sets out various options for replacing the current Gatwick Express rail service. However Bob Schumacher, Senior UK & Ireland director, said: 'With London hosting the Olympics in 2012, by which time Gatwick is expected to be handling 7 million more passengers a year, the last thing the Government should be contemplating is terminating the dedicated, non-stop rail service between the capital and its second-largest airport.'
'There is even the admission within the document itself that it does not contain sufficient information or analysis about 2 of the 4 options put forward for consideration, and another of the options - retaining the status quo, has already effectively been ruled out by the DfT'.
Schumacher claims the consultation report demonstrates a lack of understanding of the different needs of commuters and airline passengers by suggesting that train and passenger types are interchangeable.
He adds: 'The report makes no recognition of the fact that commuter trains arriving at Victoria station overcrowded carry passengers who boarded at Gatwick Airport and were attracted by the widely advertised lower fares on Southern trains'.
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