UK: Transport group Stobart has built a station to serve Southend Airport on the line from Southend to London Liverpool Street. Stobart acquired the airport in December 2008 and launched a development programme which should see the start of scheduled passenger flights this month, with the aim of handling a million passengers in 2012.
The station was designed by Atkins Global and built by Stobart Rail over 23 months at a cost of £12·5m. Stobart will operate the station itself, and says passengers landing with hand luggage should be on the platform just 15 min after touchdown.
