His Majesty King Charles III was one of the first people to travel on the Luton DART (Direct Air-Rail Transit) passenger transport system last week, as part of his official visit to Bedfordshire.
As part of his visit, the King spoke to several Kier team members about their work on the project, including Jacob Bland, who started his construction career as an apprentice on the scheme.
Jacob said: “It was an honour to be invited to the event and to have the opportunity to meet the King. He took the time to speak with us and he seemed genuinely interested in learning about how the Luton DART was built.”
The Luton DART connects Luton Airport Parkway railway station with the airport terminal building, enabling passengers to complete the journey in less than four minutes. It consists of two stations at each end of a 2.3km rail link and includes a double shuttle and a fully automated people-mover. The cable-driven system has been designed using the latest technology and innovation and is capable of operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The opening date will be announced in 2023.
The electrically-powered Luton DART will support the future sustainable growth of London Luton Airport, by reducing the environmental impact of journeys to and from the airport and congestion on surrounding roads. In so doing, it will increase the rail modal share for passengers accessing the airport and support the delivery of the Luton 2040 vision of a carbon-neutral town.
