As the multi million pounds Luton Direct Air-Rail Transit link (DART) swings into action for a second month, HBPW has welcomed the opening of the state-of-the-art facility knowing that its engineering design work at Luton Airport Parkway will leave a lasting legacy in Southern England.
The new DART connects Luton Airport terminal buildings with Luton Airport Parkway railway station, promising to expand the airline hub’s annual passenger capacity from 18m to 32m.
Partner, Paul Monaghan, said HBPW, acting as Lead Design Organisation, was charged with delivering the engineering design for the construction of a concourse footbridge crossing the four railway tracks at Luton Parkway Station.
This also included three passenger lifts and three escalators two doubles and a single – with all works carried out in the existing operational platforms. The new structures are now helping provide a greater capacity link between the Network Rail station and the new DART.
“Two and a half years ago this was the largest multi-disciplinary scheme HBPW had ever been involved with and it is fantastic to actually witness the DART finally working,” said Paul.
“The delivery of the scheme was extremely challenging with all works carried out during the COVID Period and in a live 24/7 operational railway environment with overhead electrified lines.
“This required meticulous planning by the AMCOGiffen construction team and, thanks to our close working relationship, we were able to develop detailed designs to suit.
“We are so proud to have been part of such an incredible scheme,” he added, “and it is quite humbling to think that it will be ferrying people to and from the airport for decades to come. That’s a great legacy for an engineering firm to be part of.
“So many people have played their part in bringing the DART to fruition and, without a superb alliance of professionals from a raft of companies all working to overcome a range of challenges it simply would not have happened. Fantastic work by one and all.”
Partner Organisations
Network Rail
AMCOGiffen
Seed Architecture
AGH Engineering
HCOMM
PBH OLE
Kilborn Consulting