Alton Towers Latest Rumours/confirmations

[luke8]

Yeah, Ben; there's apparently 10 gondola's more than their was old ones. So, while each car has a smaller capacity, there is indeed mroe of them.

It should INCREASE capacity, if anything.

 

[NickkyG]

Theres no need for that is there? Im epileptic and i find that incredibly offencive. Theres no need for things like that. This is a rollercoaster fourum, not a piss take out of peoples problems.

Boo hoo. Does your epilepsy affect your ability to spell basic words and use apostrophes and capital letters? It must be awful for you.

Oh, cable car. New gondolas... blah blah blah.

Epilepsy isn't funny.


Nor are you.

 

[Ben]

Yeah, Ben; there's apparently 10 gondola's more than their was old ones. So, while each car has a smaller capacity, there is indeed mroe of them.

It should INCREASE capacity, if anything.

Hmm... I'm not convinced.

The old gondolas held... 10? Towers Times says 12, but I can only see 10 in this picture I'm looking at, and 12 seems excessive.

There's certainly always been more than the 15 odd gondolas it would take for the maths to works out that an increase of 10 gondolas but a capacity reduction of nearly half can equal a higher hourly capacity (if you get me, I'm not sure I do...)

The issue with the old ones maybe came with not filling them up (not that I've ever been a witness to this, but, bear with me). OK, who's to say the smaller ones are going to help that in any way...?

*shrug*

 

[Blaze]

They look...different. Not sure if I like them or not though.

 

[Funky Monk]

To be honest I'm not too bothered what they look like really. I probably won't ever go on it. But i think something bigger and maybe more plain would work better, as I'm not too keen on the multicoloured thing.

 

[Emmett]

http://www.uttoxeteradvertiser.co.uk/uttoxeteradvertiser/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=389091

PLANS for a new £12 million roller coaster at Alton Towers have been recommended for approval - despite 39 letters of objection including claims the proposed development will disturb ancient woodland fort remains.

The new ride, billed as "the world's first roller coaster of its kind", would replace the former iconic Corkscrew roller coaster in the park's Ug Land section by 2010.

Theme park bosses hope the ride - code named "Secret Weapon Six" - will attract an extra 100,000 visitors to the tourist hot spot even though plans for a relief road, which villagers have battled for, for more than two decades, have been abandoned.

However, the planning officer's report concludes the proposed tree removal would not significantly affect the visual character, ecological, historical or cultural values of the woodland and no objections were raised to noise or visual pollution.

Read the full story in this week's Advertiser, which hits the shelves on Wednesday.

 

[marc]

Still know news though who is building it I am convinced though it will be a Eurofighter type ride after seeing whats being built in Germnay.

 

[furie]

It's still NOT approved either.

When it went to planning a few weeks ago, it was put on hold pending an investigation.

This is the result of the investigation. It says that there's not a problem, and the planning people recommend it's approved.

The actual firm decision still lies with the council, at a meeting this Thursday evening.

So we still have to wait just a little, but it's pretty much in the bag.

however, there had to be changes made to the plans to get the recommendation. These included changes to the size and height of the building...

 

[marc]

Changes to the height and size of the building could also mean changes to the ride as well then, we have no idea what they had planned for the inside part.

 

[furie]

I think it will just be cosmetic to be honest. Take some crenelations off the top and chop a corner here or there down a bit. I doubt it'll be too drastic...

I can't find the actual report that came back... Give me ten minutes?

 

[furie]

Nah, can't find it, but I don't remember seeing an official link - so it's likely to be a rumour anyway.

Erm this was published on Saturday - it's a bit more detailed:

PLANS for a £12 million ride to replace the Corkscrew at Alton Towers have been recommended for approval, despite protests from residents.

The attraction, billed as the "world's first roller-coaster of its kind", is to be built in the park's Ug Land and will open next year.

Residents and Alton and Farley parish councils have lodged official objections amid fears over the way it will look, noise nuisance and increase in traffic.

It has now been revealed that the ride – code-named 'Secret Weapon Six' – hopes to attract an extra 100,000 visitors to the theme park even though plans for a relief road, which have been in the pipeline for 20 years, have been abandoned.

Villagers have spent more than two decades fighting for a bypass to bring an end to gridlock in Alton.

However, Alton Towers's owner Merlin Entertainments Group has dropped the £15 million road scheme, claiming it is needed for only a few weeks at the height of the season.

The new roller-coaster will be at a track height of 20m, approximately 1.7m lower than the previous height of the Corkscrew.

The proposed track will be contained within the existing Corkscrew site, and will be partially enclosed within a building.

A report concludes that there will be no noise nuisance to families and the council's trees and woodlands officer has not raised any objections.

But concerns have been raised by the Council for the Protection of Rural England because the ride extends into protected woodland.

Thirty nine letters of objection have been submitted.

Opponents argue that it will be in the vicinity of an Iron Age hill fort, which should be protected. They have called for a detailed archaeological survey.

A final decision will be made by district councillors at a planning meeting on Thursday.

A report states: "The Local Plan recognises that Alton Towers is a major national and international tourist attraction whose growth has brought important economic benefits to the area. It is considered, on balance, that the proposed development will not result in adverse intrusion at the peripheries of the site, and will not detract from the amenity of nearby residential properties."

Alton Parish council chairman Tony Moult said that although the ride was being built on the site of the Corkscrew, it would encroach into woodland and closer to the village. He fears it will set a precedent for further development.

An Alton Towers spokesman said: "Our key objective was to provide a replacement roller-coaster that will have a minimum impact on its surroundings.

"We take our responsibilities to the natural environment of Alton Towers very seriously."

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/ne ... ticle.html

 

[marc]

You know I keep thinking if Merlin were to have that road built Alton would get away with a bit more and maybe get some more locals on side.

Lets hope Thursday goes well.

 

[furie]

The road has been held against them. Lots of people saying "100,000 new visitors, and the congestion is terrible as it is! No way do we want more people until we have a bypass!"

I think it WILL go, but you never know. It's not over until the fat lady sings

 

[Pokemaniac]

Just wondering, is there possible to send letters of anti-objection?

Like (I must sound a lot like a certain person now, with that word following a question), you're allowed to scream NO!! and halt any possible planning and construction of any object, but are you allowed to scream YES!! as well, possibly negating any complaint letters?

Not that they would listen to us anyways (most of CF lives too far from Alton to be worth cinsideration), but sure worth a try?

 

[marc]

Have to be honest I have been going to Alton for what 20 years now, I have yet to get stuck in traffic on the way there or the way back. Well apart from last time but that was due to a stupid bus who would not stop for anyone to pass and made a point of blocking the road.

 

[furie]

You're obviously always very early, or very late Marc :lol:

If you hit Alton at around 10:30, you'll queue from Denstone village for the best part of 45 minutes to an hour. Coming out it doesn't seem to be too bad, but we generally are very late leaving (most people tend to abandon the park in the two hours before ride close).

And Pokemaniac, no, you can't send in a letter of support unfortunately :lol:

 

[marc]

That might be the reason then Furie

I am normally there about an 30 mins before the park opens. I am not saying the road is not needed that for sure, anything to make the drive better is always welcome.

I dont see how they can work out they will get extra guests though, I think after the 1st year or 2 the numbers will go back to normal.

GP tend to go for days out new coaster or same coasters I would have thought. Its only a new coaster where as Drayton built a whole new area and that worked so wonders for them, so much so they could not cope on busy days.

 

[Inverse]

i like Pokemaniac's point though. Letters of support should be receieved equally to letters of objection. Obviously, if you like in Reading (like me) you're view isn't valid, but the people of nearby villages should be able to say "hell yes!" if they like. And although officially you can't - if you send it, they'll open it and read it before they know what it is.

 

[marc]

I think most people assume if you dont complain it means you agree.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

Not saying anything suggests indifference.

I personally think that "standing up" for Alton and showing how many people, all around the world, care IN FAVOUR of this would be beneficial... But how to go about it?