Airport drop-off changes lead to more fines - MP

An MP has called for East Midlands Airport (EMA) to make it easier for visitors to pay for rapid drop-off parking.

Amanda Hack, Labour MP for North West Leicestershire, said in a letter to EMA the payment system now being phone or online-only had "likely" caused an increase in fines, with people "simply forgetting to pay".

She also told the House of Commons that people had been parking in nearby villages and getting a taxi to the airport to avoid charges.

The letter was addressed to Ioan Reed-Aspley, EMA's head of corporate affairs, who said the new cashless, barrierless payment system "has significantly improved customer satisfaction and traffic flow through the area".

In the letter, Hack said she had carried out a survey, mainly of her constituents, but also those who used the airport from further afield "to understand the real-life impact the change has been having".

"It is clear that the changes to online-only payment methods are likely causing an increase in fines with people simply forgetting to pay," she said.

Hack said she could "completely understand why this happens", given that travelling to the airport could be "stressful" and there were "limited transport options" from the nearest train station, East Midlands Parkway.

"I urge you to make it easier to pay for parking in the Rapid Drop Off Zone by installing QR codes for quick payment and a payment machine inside the terminal," the letter added.

"Many people rely on friends or family to drop them off, and this would allow them to pay on their behalf before checking in."

Hack also urged EMA to extend the payment window, describing the current 24 hours before being fined as "not a reasonable timeframe".

Speaking in the House of Commons earlier this month, Hack said: "Essentially, to avoid parking at the airport for any length of time, people will get a taxi from somewhere in a village outside the airport and make their way to the airport to avoid those weekly charges.

"When there are hardly any alternative ways of travelling to the airport by car, we need to look at the infrastructure around our airports."

James Naish, Labour MP for Rushcliffe, echoed Hack's comments, saying there had been an impact on villages such as Gotham, Nottinghamshire, "where residents have raised this problem with me".

In response to Hack's letter, Reed-Aspley said the rapid drop-off charges "help us to prevent congestion by managing demand for access to the forecourt".

He said visitors could park for free for up to an hour in a long-stay car park and free drop-off was available for Blue Badge holders.

Reed-Aspley said: "The airport is also very well served by frequent 24/7 bus services from Nottingham, Derby and Leicester and surrounding communities, with stops close to our terminal. We work with and provide funding to our local public transport providers to improve alternative ways to reach the airport.

"Drop-off charges of £5 for up to 15 minutes - unchanged for four years and among the cheapest in the country - help to keep the area efficient even at busy times because people are not staying there for extended periods.

"There are plenty of clear signs in and around the drop-off area that remind people to pay online or over the phone by midnight the day after their visit, with the overwhelming majority using the system successfully."

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