Public money better spent on Doncaster Sheffield Airport rather than Leeds Bradford Airport: Yorkshire Post Letters

There is now a plan to spend a lot of taxpayers' money on a 'railway link', which is really a bus from a new railway platform on the Harrogate line.

Passengers from West Yorkshire often find it easier to travel to Manchester Airport; an expensive bus link into LBA would make little difference from the present situation. In times of financial constraint, councils should spend money wisely. Those with our money to spend on our behalf should use some commonsense.

LBA is in a poor location; it suffers from wind, snow and fog, meaning it is more often closed than other airports.

Travel to the airport is very difficult; there are no reliable public service links and road connections for West Yorkshire are poor.

The airport is on top of a hill, which is not ideal; the airport has a limited length of runway, and it is not feasible to build a rail link because of the gradients involved.

Compare the situation of LBA with the proposed Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA), which has already built very good road access and is only a short distance from the East Coast Main Line, from which a rail link could comparatively easily be constructed.

This link would make the journey from DSA to Central London (Kings Cross) as almost quick as from Gatwick or Heathrow.

The weather in the east of England is much kinder, less fog, less snow.

The current runways are long and based on flat ground, making long haul travel possible.

The Government should step into the situation by compulsory purchasing the land on which DSA stands, greatly benefitting the North of England through attracting businesses to the surrounding areas, and with prospects of additional employment.

Isn't it time those supporting LBA were realistic and thought about the greater good and not revel in their own hubris?

Bob Watson, Baildon.

A new report outlines the benefits that would be seen from a rail link to Leeds Bradford Airport (The Yorkshire Post, November 3). It stated that the airport's full potential is constrained by inadequate access.

If a new station is indeed provided then this must surely go hand in hand with a 24 hour rail service on the Leeds/Harrogate/York line.

Passengers are often required to check in on or after 3am, and flights also land in the early hours of the morning.

A rail link fitted around the existing timetable (circa 6am to 11.30pm) would simply not be sufficient.

ME Wright, Harrogate.

Rail station for airport 'absolutely critical', says a story in The Yorkshire Post.

Despite all these years, this to be followed by selves and luggage jumping onto a 'shuttle bus' - a sort of legendary British Rail 'replacement' service, replacing one which despite endless wordage, never existed.

Manchester Airport has been served directly by trains, trams and buses for years. Surely a better option?