FriarTuck Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I've used the airport 16 times, mostly to Dublin due to my brother living there, but also I have been to Prague, Alicante, Amsterdam, and I'm due to fly to Poland shortly. For me the airport has been the best thing since sliced bread. However, I have been lucky in the respect I have never had a problem getting to the airport. I find far more people are more inclined to 'drop you off' at Robin Hood Airport rather than to drive you to Manchester Airport or Nottingham East Midlands. However, it's been said before, and I'll say it again, that public transport to the airport from Sheffield is pathetic and embarrassing. For convenience it's just as easy to fly from Manchester or Nottingham. It's more tiresome and longer but at the end of the day you still get from a to b with little fuss. The issue being though, we shouldn't have to contemplate flying from Manchester or Nottingham when we have an airport that's meant to serve the people of Sheffield. More people from Sheffield use the airport than from anywhere else. Why is it then that places like Barnsley, Mexborough, and Goldthorpe get a direct bus connections and we don't. The powers that be, whether it is the airport owners, Sheffield City Council, or South Yorkshire Transport should hang their heads in shame. This airport is meant to serve Sheffield, but it's only doing so either if you have a car or can rely on someone to take you there, because the taxi fares are very expensive. Like I said I am lucky because after getting off the plane and collecting my luggage I can be home in 35 minutes, which after a flight is great. If I landed in Manchester or Nottingham it would generally be between 2 and 3 hours before I get home. The reason for this meassge and gripe is because in three hours time I'm taking some friends to Robin Hood Airport. Had it not been for me or someone else taking my friends to the airport they would either have to fork out good money for a taxi, or alternatively use public transport i.e. cart suitcases and the baby on to a bus or tram to the city centre, cart them off again and drag them to Midland Station. Wait a few minutes for the train to Doncaster. Drag everything on the train and off again in Doncaster. Traipse to Doncaster interchange and get the airport bus.....all told two to three hours. I suppose they could move to Goldthorpe and traipse a few yards to the bus stop and in 40 minutes they would be at the airport! But then I'm taking them and it'll be about 30 minutes to the airport. Something needs to be done. The airport is growing by the day, and it will be a big player in a few years. Lets hope Sheffield don't miss the boat again (or plane whatever the case may be). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddycoffee Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I have heard talk that one of the sweeteners in the deal to sell off Sheffield City Airport for a pound was that Peel airports would finance a regular bus between sheffield centre and Doncaster Sheffield airport. However I am not sure if this was rumour or fact. Have you not considered using the train between sheffield and doncaster, followed with the "airport arrow" bus service between doncaster train station and the airport? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
never wrong Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Can only agree with the above. But It is market demand that rules here and we are in a catch 22 situation, because the airport is so close by car most of the people using it get friends to drop them off and pick them up. That at the moment is the best way,the car parking at Doncaster is £14 a day so even if you have a car it is not economically viable to travel in your own car, a taxi works out cheaper than that usually. So we get on to the issue of public transport the companies that serve Sheffielders will not put on a bus service that does not make a profit, so they dont. I am sure in five/ten years time when the airport is running at by then hopefully full capacity the public transport issue will have been sorted. until then we are stuck with what we have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy C Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Be honest, would a direct bus from Sheffield to the airport actually get many passengers? Alternatively, if the existing X78 was extended, would the journey time be considered acceptable? Actually the current combination of express train to Doncaster then connecting bus is probably the best option for the moment. In the long term as the passenger numbers grow, I think there should be a railway station built at Finningley to serve the airport. This is on the Doncaster to Lincoln line, perhaps an hourly circular service could run Sheffield-Rotherham-Doncaster-Airport-Lincoln-Worksop-Sheffield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
never wrong Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Would it be possible to let the existing bus from sheffield to doncaster divert and serve finningley. with the bus that already goes from doncaster to finningley doing the same route so the frequency does not alter that much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddycoffee Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 In the long term as the passenger numbers grow, I think there should be a railway station built at Finningley to serve the airport. This is on the Doncaster to Lincoln line, perhaps an hourly circular service could run Sheffield-Rotherham-Doncaster-Airport-Lincoln-Worksop-Sheffield. The Railway station is planned, and you can read details of it on the doncaster council planner's website. This new station is going to be 1 Mile from the terminal and they are going to install a light tram to transfer between them. The airport is expanding rapidly, but still these things take a little time. An essential part of the masterplan is to get the link road built and that is going to take a great deal of political wheeling and dealing. Local MPs are clamouring for approval to the highest parts of government but it is likely that the earliest the road could be built is 8-10 years away, that could be 2 governments down the line, but it is a major project and cannot be rushed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devine22 Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I think there may be a railway station being built at Finningley, not sure when though. There is a bus from Mexborough to Finningley but it only gets about 3 passengers a year so maybe a bus from sheffield is not worthwhile as there is the train to Doncaster then a bus service from Doncaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddycoffee Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I think there may be a railway station being built at Finningley, not sure when though. There is a bus from Mexborough to Finningley but it only gets about 3 passengers a year so maybe a bus from sheffield is not worthwhile as there is the train to Doncaster then a bus service from Doncaster. To be perfectly honest, If I was in charge I wouldn't open the station until the airport reached about 3 million passengers a year and the main car park is nearing capacity. Otherwise the trains would run at a loss, which would be terrible for the reputation of the airport. This point will probably be reached in another couple of years yet perhaps? The rail line is already in place as it was originally a local line, and in the old RAF finningly days they sometimes erected a temporary halt on the line when they had airshows so that hundreds of people could visit by rail. So from a layman's perspective you could imagine that a small station could be built quite easily. Although In practice it might be more complex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingDave Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I agree entirely with the original post, WHY cant they put a bus on from Sheffield to the airport ? it makes a joke out of the whole thing. Also why do we have to pay £14 a day to park at the airport ? it is complete robbery. Nowhere else in europe is it anywhere even remotely so expensive, some airports even give free parking. I think this will ultimately have to come down, it is a monopoly situation being abused in the most crass and moneygrabbing way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I'm actually surprised that you paint is as so convenient for sheffielders. From Walkley the time difference in getting to any of East Mids, Donc or Manc is negligable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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