Representation by East Midlands Railway (East Midlands Railway)
- Date submitted
- 23 June 2023
- Submitted by
- Non-statutory organisations
Luton Airport provides vital air transport links to the South East of England and beyond, providing hundreds of thousands of passengers with the opportunity to expand their horizons. The airport already supports 16,800 jobs in the regional economy and economic activity of £1.8bn per annum for UK GDP. Our role as Luton Airport Express, connected by East Midlands Railway (EMR), is to support sustainable rail travel to London Luton Airport. EMR Connect, which forms our Luton Airport Express services, was introduced in May 2021. This solely electric service has brought about a step change improvement in emissions, realising a 77% reduction in carbon emissions. We support Luton Rising’s commitment to increase modal share for sustainable and active travel to the airport, by providing fast and direct train services between central London and Luton Airport Parkway station, where customers can seamlessly connect on to the Luton DART to reach the airport terminal in as little as 32 minutes. As a current custodian of the railway, EMR supports the sustainable long-term growth of the airport, and the economic and social benefits this brings to Luton and the wider region.