Roland Perry wrote:
In message
-sept
ember.org, at 08:49:11 on Mon, 22 May 2017, Recliner
remarked:

I think increased rail access will be a mandatory requirement for third
runway approval.

That's the only consideration which matters. In particular there are
stringent atmospheric pollution and traffic congestion issues which
requires them to shift people off the roads and onto trains. That's why
the *only* market that HEx is designed to compete with is a cab to
central London, not least because those passengers would never catch the
tube.

They wouldn't catch the Tube, but might well use the Elizabeth line,

Not when they built HEx in the 90's they wouldn't.


which makes it much more of a HEx competitor. Like HEx, it will offer 4
tph, but unlike HEx, it will go directly to useful places like the West
End, City and Canary Wharf.

But much slower, I expect.

Slower to Paddington. But much faster to the places far more visitors
actually want to go, such as the West End, City, Canary Wharf and the
ExCel.

And will Elizabeth Line have First Class?

No. But I wonder how many HEx pax use First anyway? The First capacity is
very limited (around 10% on average):

Quote:

The units have First class and Standard class accommodation: the four-car
sets can accommodate up to 175 standard class passengers, with up to 239 in
the five-car sets. First class accommodation is in one of the driving cars,
referred to as 'DMF' (Driving-Motor-First) cars. The First class cars have
two different layouts: 332002, 332004 and the five-car sets can accommodate
up to 26 First class passengers, while in the other four-car sets up to 14
first class passengers can be accommodated. This is due to the checked
luggage compartments installed in some DMF cars in 1999.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brit...32#Description

HEx won't survive if it's left only with pax who refuse to travel standard
class.



So HAL is trying to do two things with this demand:

1. Raise Crossrail fares to Heathrow so they don't undercut HEx so much.
Otherwise HEx may suffer an early demse.

2. Make enough money from Crossrail to compensate for the lost HEx
revenues.

In other words "just like when Heathrow Connect started".

Crossrail is a serious HEx competitor. HC, by deliberate design, was not.


Similarly, Heathrow Connect is mainly aimed at airport workers, the vast
majority of whom nevertheless drive (often in shared cars).

The airport does its best to deter travellers from using HC, by putting up
no signs for it. Similarly, I don't think it's mentioned on Padd departure
boards (I think it's shown as a H&H service).

That's because it's aimed at airport workers, who know all about it, and
even get reduced fares.

Ordinary Londoners use it too, but most visitors don't discover it.


For example, this is the sign on the T4 Heathrow Connect station entrance:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/reclin...um-72157667996
346665/

It only mentions HEx, which doesn't even serve that station.

I wonder if HAL intends to ignore the Elizabeth line in the same way?
Perhaps it will change its policy if Crossrail trains have to pay a hefty
access charge?

But Heathrow Connect already does.

No, HAL wants an increased charge for Crossrail access. That's what the
argument is about.

The interesting sociological experiment will be whether HAL treat the Elizabeth Line
like the tube, or like HC.

In what sense does it treat the Tube and HC differently now?