Delivering a pioneering infrastructure project for London Luton Airport – Luton DART

Infrastructure contributing to the transformation of Luton

The DART is one of the largest infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the area and represents Luton Rising’s ambition to deliver positive social impact and economic growth in Luton. As the airport grows and generates a return, there is a direct benefit to the local community. 

It forms a wider development of housing, hotel and other facilities being built around Bartlett Square, fostering community and employment. Operating 24 hours a day, DART will help boost the rail modal share for the airport’s passengers and support Luton’s vision for a carbon-neutral town by 2040. 

The electric-powered system will lessen the environmental impact of journeys both to and from the airport and reduce congestion on surrounding roads. It will also provide rail passengers with an improved experience and offer seamless journeys covering the Thameslink and East Midlands Railway network. The DART’s timetable is optimised to ensure a high frequency of service during busy passenger peaks and a reduced running pattern during quieter periods to save energy. 

Scheme design 

The scheme comprises two stations, a viaduct, a signature bridge and a ‘cut-and-cover’ tunnel beneath a live taxiway. Our ambition was to create a sense of place for passengers, with intuitive and easy-to-navigate spaces. DART Parkway and Central Terminal stations are characterised by a simple and functional style that deliver a consistent, high quality and unified experience from start to finish.

It begins at Luton Airport DART Parkway Station’s concourse level and ends with a seamless passenger transfer at the Central Terminal Station. The accessible design includes new lifts, escalators, tactile paving, audio frequency induction loops and help points. 

The two stations create a new identity for Luton Airport, with signature parasols repeated across the wider development. Each parasol is held by a single centrally loaded column and cantilevers across 20m in width, protecting passengers from the elements whilst allowing for a spacious and naturally lit concourse. The task required collaborative engagement for our architects, engineers, and experts across disciplines to formulate a synthetic whole design. 

Transport architecture 

Arup’s design considered likely changes to the airport’s requirement through the long life of the structural assets and made accommodation for a variety of future systems, including airport expansion, operating more trains and additional passenger facilities. Carriages can be added to the DART as passenger numbers increase, with platforms designed to facilitate longer trains and minimise the need for disruptive and costly future construction.

Both DART Parkway and Central Stations are naturally ventilated throughout the concourse and platforms, lowering the stations’ operational carbon footprint against a mechanical approach. The transport system is powered by an efficient electric drive system, incorporating energy recovery during braking. The energy can be consumed in the vehicle (HVAC) and in the station facilities, reducing energy consumption of the whole system. 

The stations’ design with highly reflective parasol cladding maximises daylight and aims to improve passenger and staff wellbeing. At DART Parkway Station, façade glazing has been designed to minimise solar gain whilst maintaining excellent levels of light transmittance.