Major UK airport to hike parking drop-off fees within days

2 hours ago 2

Drop off charge sign outside car park at Gatwick Airport.

The new Gatwick Airport drop-off charges will start in May (Picture: Universal Images Group/Getty Images)

Gatwick Airport announced it will increase the drop-off fees for drivers, which could make its charges the most expensive in London.

The UK’s second busiest airport has proposed to hike the passenger drop-off fees after it was asked to increase the number of people arriving by public transport if it wants to expand.

It is required to increase the number of passengers arriving by public transport to 54% before final approval for the northern runway use will be considered by the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander.

The way to influence passengers to choose trains to the airport will be by increasing the cost of drop-off, Gatwick’s chief executive, Stewart Wingate, told The Telegraph.

Passengers queueing at Gatwick Airport departure lounge.

Taxi drivers said the fee hike is ‘a cash cow’ as ‘public transport is not available for everyone’ (Picture: Getty Images)

How much will parking at Gatwick Airport cost?

Gatwick Airport’s drop-off charge is currently £6 for a 10-minute stint for private cars and taxis.

Each additional minute costs £1, with up to 20 minutes. The maximum daily charge is capped at £26, while a maximum length of stay is 30 minutes.

The base fee will increase to £7 from May 2, Gatwick Airport announced.

The latest increase was labelled as ‘daylight robbery’ and ‘a disgrace.’

One passenger said: ‘What a total rip off, what a disgrace. If you want people to use public transport make sure the trains are running 24 hours.’

Drop-off charges at London airports

Gatwick Airport – The fee will be £7 from May 2. The charge must be paid by midnight the day after parking. Late payment will incur a Parking Charge Notice (PCN).

Heathrow Airport – Its fee increased to £6 in January for drop-offs at the terminals, which can be paid after a visit or pre-paid.

Stansted Airport – Drop-off costs £7 for up to 15 minutes, with anything over 15 minutes costing £25.

London Luton – Pick up and drop-off at Luton costs £5 for five minutes. Each further minute costs £1, with a maximum stay of 20 minutes. The charge can be paid online only. A longer stay than 20 minutes in the express zone will incur a penalty charge.

Luton also has a mid-stay car park around a 10-minute walk away, which is free up to 15 minutes.

City of London – Drop-off at the terminal is free, but drivers are not allowed to wait. Blue Badge holders can park up for free for 30 minutes.

The pick-up charge is £6.90 for up to 20 minutes, increasing to £14.90 for up to 30 minutes.

A 24 hour visit costs £74.90.

Zamir Dreni, the general secretary of the App Drivers & Couriers Union (ADCU), accused the increase being ‘a cash cow on the public.’

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He told Metro: ‘On paper it might sound good, but in practice, where is the public transport when I land past midnight?’

The fee increase is a ‘punishment’ if passengers ‘don’t use public transport,’ he said, adding that taxis might be the only option for people with luggage and children.

The last time the base fee increased from the previous £5 was in early 2024.

An aerial graphic image showing Gatwick Airport runways, with northern runway highlighted in pink and the main runway in turquoise.

Gatwick is proposing to change the emergency northern runway into a permanent runway able to handle 100,000 more flights each year (Picture: Gatwick Airport)

Gatwick said the plans to bring its northern runway into permanent use in a bid to boost annual passenger numbers to 75 million are ‘shovel-ready’ – but the Planning Inspectorate set extra requirements before work can start.

Campaigners against the expansion told Metro that Gatwick should be made to pay for the ramifications that more passengers have on local roads, which are ‘crumbling because they are taking Gatwick traffic now.’

Wingate said that the ‘amended proposal’ will address ‘the matters raised by the Secretary of State in her letter, including noise and environmental impacts.’

He commented on the expansion: ‘This project represents a £2.2billion investment, fully funded by our shareholders and it is essential that any planning conditions enable us to make full use of the Northern Runway.’

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