Holidaymakers face rising costs to be dropped off at the region’s biggest airport.
Manchester Airport is axing its free drop-off lanes, dubbed ‘kiss and fly’ lanes.
Instead people will have to pay or be dropped off a mile away and use a free shuttle bus.
The changes will come into force in June and here is what is being introduced:
The changes:
From June, drivers will be charged £3 for five minutes on the forecourts outside the terminals and train station.
It will cost £4 for a maximum 10 minutes.
A free drop-off will be opened in a car park on Thorley Lane, currently known as Jet Park 1.
Up to now, Jet Park 1 has been a long-stay car park for holidaymakers but it will be changed to a free drop-off point and passengers will take a shuttle bus to their terminal. The shuttle bus journey will take around 12 minutes.
Taxi drivers who use the hub regularly will get a discount permit for the forecourt and multi-storeys. It’s not yet clear how much.
There are no changes to the airport’s pick-up policy, with drivers directed to continue using the £4-per-30-minute multi-storey.
Why is it being done?
Airport bosses say it’s an attempt to relieve crippling congestion around the site.
Manchester Airport say drivers do ‘circuits’ of the free drop-off zones to avoid paying for short-term parking.
At peak times the airport says one in five cars hits the forecourts at least twice.
Tricia Williams, airport chief operating officer, said the new system would be clearly signposted so drivers can decide whether to pay or use the free car park.
She added: “As passenger numbers have grown, we have increasingly experienced major congestion problems on our terminal forecourts, made worse by a high percentage of visitors repeatedly re-circulating at peak times,” reports the Manchester Evening News.
