Potential New Universal UK Park

[AT86]

Original source here:
From: https://x.com/usgbupdates/status/1777782315344625997?s=46&t=djIABhQ3_cZnCYEENeI12Q

Maybe I’ve visited too many Merlin parks but looking at that, Universal have already installed the gift shop.

 

[DiogoJ42]

Well, It's already more than has happened on the "London Resort", I'll give it that.

 

[Excalibur]

Someone will know more than me, but surely this is a good sign and indication that they are not only committed to this project but if it was anything like London Resort surely we wouldn’t be at this stage now surveying the ground?

 

[Jb85]

Someone will know more than me, but surely this is a good sign and indication that they are not only committed to this project but if it was anything like London Resort surely we wouldn’t be at this stage now surveying the ground?

We don’t know London Resort didn’t survey the ground. But yes this seems to be getting ready for a formal planning application

 

[Josh555]

It's definitely looking more likely than not I'd say but it could easily fall apart over any particular hurdle. That's planning for you. It comes with so much red tape.

It's a tad concerning the amount of people releasing 'click bait' video's, blogs and such about this project. Clearly a number of 'enthusiasts' don't actually understand what is proposed, what is currently happening and the process this needs to go through. Someone was posting pictures of a digger and a tipper on the proposed site proclaiming "construction underway".

Another issue I have with these people on the internet that know nothing but talk like they do is they are setting an expectation that we will be getting the full Universal 'Florida style' product. Of course that isn't true. If it happens, I am sure it will be more along the lines of the Singapore Universal park... to start anyway.



The following statement in the letter to residents makes me believe the Government will be bending over backwards to grease the wheels to get this moving... I doubt Universal will need to do too much to get what they want. They might even get some cash from the notorious Levelling Up fund to get the project moving.

I know what you mean and it infuriates me but you get it with absolutely everything these days.

I’m a big football fan and the amount of transfer rubbish posted with clickbait headlines in YouTube is insane.

Like any medium you just have to be very evaluative with what you choose to pay attention to, obviously YouTube is more susceptible to this sort of stuff than more regulated forms of media although saying that, the way that media is going these days that gap is really narrowing.

 

[Benjsh]

An hour from central London on the train, where the % of tourists with a car must be single figures, and where nearly half of households don't have access to a car?

And with one rail change at Milton Keynes from Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow?

AND two onsite stations?

40%, easy.

Think you're totally missing the point there though. Tourists in and around London for the week would definitely do it by train yeah.

It's so expensive to travel by train in the UK though. These types of attractions are trying to attract families and for a family of 3,4,5 people to travel any sizeable distance by train in the UK you're talking several hundred pounds. The car wins that battle easy.

It's £80 for a train to London from Manchester and back and that's when it's booked well in advance and on off-peak.

 

[tayspru]

Hypothetically would it not make sense for Universal to essentially run their own train service via a 3rd party. Something similar to Gatwick Express, where the prices remain relatively affordable and fixed

 

[benpicko]

Hypothetically would it not make sense for Universal to essentially run their own train service via a 3rd party. Something similar to Gatwick Express, where the prices remain relatively affordable and fixed

Gatwick Express is less affordable than the alternative trains on the same line, though? The main thing driving high costs on our train lines is because a lot of key lines are running at capacity, so Universal couldn't simply drop extra trains onto lines that already are unable to handle extra trains.

 

[Relife]

The bulk of the train visitors would be from London or people staying in London. As people have stated it's simply too expensive to travel from further afield

 

[Matt N]

If the train prices are due to capacity, would it not be fair to assert that HS2 between London and Birmingham, despite now arguably being redundant in terms of time saving, may actually help prices on some of the train lines that Universal will be located near to? Certainly, anyone coming in along the West Coast Main Line would likely find it cheaper, as HS2 will relieve the strain on the WCML south of Birmingham.

 

[benpicko]

If the train prices are due to capacity, would it not be fair to assert that HS2 between London and Birmingham, despite now arguably being redundant in terms of time saving, may actually help prices on some of the train lines that Universal will be located near to? Certainly, anyone coming in along the West Coast Main Line would likely find it cheaper, as HS2 will relieve the strain on the WCML south of Birmingham.

London to Birmingham will have increased capacity due to HS2, but unfortunately the London to Manchester section of the West Coast Mainline will have less capacity than currently because of the cuts to HS2. This is because the HS2 trains will continue onto Manchester from Birmingham, but these have less capacity than current trains — and because they'll be forced to run on existing lines, existing services (with higher capacity trains) will be cut instead.

If Labour follow through with building HS2 to Manchester Airport as they are hinting at doing, the capacity problems will be eased because the most stress on the service is Birmingham to Crewe.

 

[jon81uk]

If the train prices are due to capacity, would it not be fair to assert that HS2 between London and Birmingham, despite now arguably being redundant in terms of time saving, may actually help prices on some of the train lines that Universal will be located near to? Certainly, anyone coming in along the West Coast Main Line would likely find it cheaper, as HS2 will relieve the strain on the WCML south of Birmingham.

If Sunak hadn't cancelled it. Without the Euston station being built and the bit to Manchester I don't think the needed capacity will be added to WCML.

 

[jibbsie]

It's so expensive to travel by train in the UK though. These types of attractions are trying to attract families and for a family of 3,4,5 people to travel any sizeable distance by train in the UK you're talking several hundred pounds. The car wins that battle easy.

international guests could get the brit rail pass where from what I read you can get unlimited rail travel anywhere in the uk for very cheap (as low as £540 per month) unfortunatly it is not avaliable for uk residents.

 

[Josh555]

Trains are an absolute joke in this country, as someone who is an avid football fan it costs a ridiculous amount.

 

[Ryan]

Think you're totally missing the point there though.

No I understand your point, I'm just disagreeing that it leads to a 40% modal split being unreachable or unrealistic.

Leisure travel by rail is very much a thing, of the over a billion journeys made by rail every year in this country, the majority of them are for leisure. Think about the millions of people moving in and out of big cities for work every day, crammed into trains. Well, over the week, a higher number of people are choosing rail to travel for leisure.

In a country with very high car ownership.

In a country with very high rail fares.

And that's talking solely about domestic visitors...to Europe's Universal Park

DLP, as I mentioned before, has the majority of their guests arrive by train. Point to point advance booked train travel in France is actually higher than in the UK.

And all of this is without taking into account how much Universal could incentivise rail travel, and disincentivise car travel. After all, car parks are ongoing infrastructure that cost money to operate, for no benefit if you can get people to your product in another way. Like having two practically on-site train stations, one being one change away from the entirety of the East Coast AND West Coast Mainlines, the other being one change from Eurostar, 2 airports, and the most populous metropolitan area in Europe (depending on who you ask). And that's from opening, not taking into account possible changes to routes based on passenger flows.

I'm gonna stick with the professionals on this one, 40% seems doable.

 

[Benjsh]

No I understand your point, I'm just disagreeing that it leads to a 40% modal split being unreachable or unrealistic.

Leisure travel by rail is very much a thing, of the over a billion journeys made by rail every year in this country, the majority of them are for leisure. Think about the millions of people moving in and out of big cities for work every day, crammed into trains. Well, over the week, a higher number of people are choosing rail to travel for leisure.

In a country with very high car ownership.

In a country with very high rail fares.

And that's talking solely about domestic visitors...to Europe's Universal Park

DLP, as I mentioned before, has the majority of their guests arrive by train. Point to point advance booked train travel in France is actually higher than in the UK.

And all of this is without taking into account how much Universal could incentivise rail travel, and disincentivise car travel. After all, car parks are ongoing infrastructure that cost money to operate, for no benefit if you can get people to your product in another way. Like having two practically on-site train stations, one being one change away from the entirety of the East Coast AND West Coast Mainlines, the other being one change from Eurostar, 2 airports, and the most populous metropolitan area in Europe (depending on who you ask). And that's from opening, not taking into account possible changes to routes based on passenger flows.

I'm gonna stick with the professionals on this one, 40% seems doable.

Have you got a family out of interest?

 

[swalesuk01]

Here's the thing no doubting that train travel is expensive from around the country, just looking at trainline and on Saturday a direct train from St pancs to Bedford is only £40 for a family of 4.
So if your looking at coming from London that's not really much more than if you was to drive and pay to park without the stress. As for international visitors it would be a drop in the ocean for a day out.

Sent from my SM-S908B using Tapatalk

 

[Benjsh]

Here's the thing no doubting that train travel is expensive from around the country, just looking at trainline and on Saturday a direct train from St pancs to Bedford is only £40 for a family of 4.
So if your looking at coming from London that's not really much more than if you was to drive and pay to park without the stress. As for international visitors it would be a drop in the ocean for a day out.

Sent from my SM-S908B using Tapatalk

Anyone travelling from Central London would absolutely go by train, nobody is denying that. It's only 30-40mins away and trains are regular and more affordable due to the relatively short distance.

Starts getting very pricey when your journey isn't as easy and direct as that which is a lot of people in the UK.

 

[Ryan]

Have you got a family out of interest?

And a family Railcard, and access to a car, yes.

 

[dave___]

Anyone travelling from Central London would absolutely go by train, nobody is denying that. It's only 30-40mins away and trains are regular and more affordable due to the relatively short distance.

Starts getting very pricey when your journey isn't as easy and direct as that which is a lot of people in the UK.

From my local station Huddersfield with two adults and two children it's £282. That's three changes, setting off at 745am and getting to Bedford just before 1pm.

Think I would be taking the car.. anyone not on the direct rail link doesn't stand a chance in this country the way rail fares are structured.