COMMENT: The British Election
ABTN has no intention of getting into deep water by commenting on the result of the UK and Northern Ireland General Election but we must at least offer a sigh of relief with the news that Alistair Darling has retained his post as minister for transport, a position he has held since May 2002. It has been the norm that as soon as the member of the cabinet for this most important of sectors has found his feet with the complex portfolio that includes trains, ”planes and the roads, he is moved on. Mr Darling piloted the White Paper 'The Future of Air Transport', published in December 2003 and whilst we are not necessarily in agreement with all of its recommendations, nevertheless it was (and still is) a thoughtful document which will hopefully give guidance to where the air transport industry is going for the next 30 years. His loss as a minister would have been a worry. Whilst not always the case ”the devil you know is better than the devil you don”t” in this case it is justified. It would be easy to mention some current ministers whom one would want to keep an arms length from transport.
And what should the industry ask Mr Darling to concentrate on with his new extended life expectancy. There are many complex issues to be solved in all three sectors. This issue of ABTN reports on the re-introduction of through trains on the Thameslink through Kings Cross. What it does not really tell is the calamity that might befall the whole Eurostar/St Pancras/Kings Cross development if the proposed integrated Thameslink railway station is not ready, or even under construction, when Eurostar begins to run from its new terminal in 2007. Does the government, for a reputed mere ”70m, want visitors from the continent connecting on to Thameslink walking along the dregs Pentonville Road to the grimy Kings Cross Thameslink station, unusable by the disabled (see also GATWICK TO LUTON below). When/if it happens will Thameslink close again?
Is this the bright gateway people coming down from the north will want to use as they transfer to the new 21st century high speed link?
ABTN thinks not. And mentioning Thameslink perhaps he ought to add to his priorities an overview of the railway station at Britain”s number two port, Gatwick Airport, a 40 year old reinforced concrete monstrosity, equally poor as an entranceway to the country. The minister does not have to go far to see how it should be done. A visit to Amsterdam Airport could easily be added to his Edinburgh ” London flight itinerary.