Manchester Airport is introducing a new drop-off site from 10 July with charges to cut congestion
Manchester Airport is launching a new drop-off site from 10 July in an effort to tackle congestion, which will involve charges for those who want to be dropped off directly outside each terminal and station.
The airport hopes to slash the number of cars entering the busiest areas of the site with the new system.
Back in March, Manchester Airport announced it would be creating a dedicated drop-off site from where passengers could board a free shuttle service to their terminal, and today confirmed the launch date would be next week.
So passengers can either use the free drop-off site for all three terminals and station and get the shuttle to the right place, or pay if they want to get a drop directly outside the terminal buildings.
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A charging system is coming into force for areas directly outside each terminal and station with a £3 charge for five minutes and £4 for 10 minutes. Vehicles will not be allowed to recirculate after paying the drop off charge, and those that do will face a £25 penalty.
The charge will just apply to those being dropped off and there will be no change to the current arrangements for picking people up, with those collecting passengers asked to park in the car parks at each terminal.
Blue badge holders will not have to pay, and there will be a special scheme for local station users, as well as a discount scheme for private hire taxis and commercial operators. People in certain postcodes can apply for a permit which gives them access to the station free of charge for an annual fee of £30.
Tricia Williams, chief operating officer of Manchester Airport, said:
Manchester Airport has seen a significant increase in passenger volumes in the past five years and is heavily investing in further growth and improvements to the customer experience, most notably through our £1bn transformation programme
This growth, coupled with imposed security restrictions on forecourt capacity and an inability to increase available space, has led to extreme congestion around the estate, especially at peak times. It became clear we had to take a more proactive approach to managing this, as Manchester Airport continues to grow, which is why we are introducing this forecourt management system.
She added: “We are committed to ensuring people can still be dropped off for free at the airport, which is why we have invested in the creation of a dedicated drop-off site and free shuttle service. The location of the site has been carefully chosen due to its proximity to all terminal and the motorway network.”
Staff will be on hand before the Tuesday 10 July, and on the day, to assist any passengers who need guidance on the new system.
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