Flights at risk from high speed rail?
10.08.10
A high-speed rail link between London and the north of England will dramatically reduce air travel from Leeds Bradford Airport, the Yorkshire Post reports Transport Secretary Philip Hammond told MPs. He said that one of the reasons he supports the plans for super-fast trains to connect London and the North is because it will eventually replace the need for domestic flights.
Mr Hammond also said in an ideal world he would like to see the 250mph trains connected right through to the Channel Tunnel, to reduce the need for flights from Leeds Bradford to places like Paris and Amsterdam. Appearing before the transport select committee, He said such a switch from domestic and short haul flights to rail would have a ‘transformational’ affect on the economy.
However, a spokesman for Leeds Bradford Airport disagreed with his prediction, saying that both domestic and short-haul travel from the airport will increase, even when high-speed rail is up and running. Tony Hallwood, the airport's commercial director, said that airlines fly to domestic destinations that will not be served by high-speed rail – such as the south coast and south west of England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.
Flights between Schiphol and Leeds will also continue to be important because they allow passengers to get from the continent to Yorkshire without having to travel via London, he added.
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