Gatwick Airport drop off fee... but it’s also a Railway station

[DavyCrocket]

I see that Gatwick Airport will introduce a £5 drop off fee! This seems pretty bad considering it is also the only way in to the Railway station too.

There are some close by stopping places, but they’re bus stops or double yellow lines.

I recall reading that Manchester Airport also charges for drop off, is that also the way in to the Railway station too?

Gatwick to charge £5 drop-off fee for drivers

The Sussex hub has by far the best rail links of any UK airport

www.google.co.uk

Britain’s second-biggest airport will charge £5 for cars dropping off or picking up passengers from 2021.
Gatwick says the fee will promote sustainable travel, and help the airport recover from the coronavirus pandemic. In the first six months of 2020, it lost £321m – equivalent to £1,225 per minute between January and June.
The chief commercial officer, Jonathan Pollard, said: “Gatwick has just gone through the most challenging period in its history and this new drop off charging scheme will give us a new revenue stream to aid recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Is there a car drop off area anywhere adjacent to Manchester Airport station?

Many rail stations elsewhere allow a "free" 20 mins.

 

[Ianno87]

Dropping passengers off at Horley or Three Bridges would seem like the obvious alternative.

 

[Mojo]

Bit of a cheek for them to rave on about how sustainable they are when their walking/cycling routes are frankly disgusting. I had a hotel booked in hotel grounds in December last year and it was impossible to leave the airport in a reasonable direction by foot.

The "Walking and Cycling" routes map shows routes that don't seem to exist on the ground, and also aren't shown on the Public Rights of Way map on the County Council website. I spent a considerable time using online mapping services prior to my visit to plan a route, and discovered that the subway under the A23 was completely flooded to over one and a half metres deep. The lights on the footpaths and in the subway were also out, so it was quite an anxious walk up to that point before realising we had to double back.

The County Council and OS maps imply that one of the footpaths crosses a stream/drain near the hotel and it does not. Most of the roads in the area are strictly for vehicles only.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Interesting that, having suffered a catastophic reduction in user numbers, they try and find ways of charging customers more at the same time as messaging that you want them to come back. Surely lowering costs is the way forward - £10 off landing slots for airlines on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays!. Fly Away to Save The Day (TM).

 

[Ianno87]

Interesting that, having suffered a catastophic reduction in user numbers, they try and find ways of charging customers more at the same time as messaging that you want them to come back. Surely lowering costs is the way forward - £10 off landing slots for airlines on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays!. Fly Away to Save The Day (TM).

Arguably, it's not the person flying who pays the drop-off charge... it's the person dropping them off!

 

[All Line Rover]

Bit of a cheek for them to rave on about how sustainable they are when their walking/cycling routes are frankly disgusting.

Bit of a cheek for an airport to rave about "sustainability" full stop.

Fly Away to Save The Day (TM)

*(and thanks for not thinking about tomorrow!)

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Bit of a cheek for an airport to rave about "sustainability" full stop.



*(and thanks for not thinking about tomorrow!)

It's not entirely relevent, but one positive outcome of the whole Coranavirus situation may be a permanent reduction in the number of flights.

 

[radamfi]

Bit of a cheek for them to rave on about how sustainable they are when their walking/cycling routes are frankly disgusting. I had a hotel booked in hotel grounds in December last year and it was impossible to leave the airport in a reasonable direction by foot.

The "Walking and Cycling" routes map shows routes that don't seem to exist on the ground, and also aren't shown on the Public Rights of Way map on the County Council website. I spent a considerable time using online mapping services prior to my visit to plan a route, and discovered that the subway under the A23 was completely flooded to over one and a half metres deep. The lights on the footpaths and in the subway were also out, so it was quite an anxious walk up to that point before realising we had to double back.

The County Council and OS maps imply that one of the footpaths crosses a stream/drain near the hotel and it does not. Most of the roads in the area are strictly for vehicles only.

I use national cycle route 21 quite a lot and there is a smooth path south adjacent to the railway line for about half a mile. North of Gatwick it goes through a park on the way to Horley. I've never seen the subway under the A23 flooded so you must have been really unlucky.

They've recently built a proper footpath in a full circle along the edge of the South Terminal grounds to serve the new KFC and also the McDonald's, which previously was only accessible by foot by walking on the road or by walking through the car park next to the Hilton. There are regular signs along it.

 

[peters]

I recall reading that Manchester Airport also charges for drop off, is that also the way in to the Railway station too?

Yes. There's some form of pass which people can buy if they are doing lots of drops off and pick ups. However, it's only available to those living in a small number of Greater Manchester boroughs, so not available to those in Cheshire East who live a stone's throw from the airport, which doesn't do much to encourage people from Cheshire to use the train.

 

[Spandau]

The workaround at Manchester Airport is for the vehicle driver to drop at the Raddison Hotel. It is then a short distance to the rail/tram/bus station via the covered walkway. It is nonetheless a ludicrous situation.

 

[philthetube]

I did the Sussex Border Path a few years back and had no problems, used the airport station as a break point, finding a way out of the buildings is a bit tricky but once out then no problems with the actual path on the ground, well signed.

 

[island]

It’s getting commonplace in many airports nowadays; a free option is provided for by way of dropping at an offsite car park to be bussed in.

 

[jfollows]

Yes. There's some form of pass which people can buy if they are doing lots of drops off and pick ups. However, it's only available to those living in a small number of Greater Manchester boroughs, so not available to those in Cheshire East who live a stone's throw from the airport, which doesn't do much to encourage people from Cheshire to use the train.

More than Greater Manchester, it includes me in Wilmslow (I'm in SK9 5xx) (https://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/parking/pick-up-and-drop-off-info/local-residents/).

To apply for a card, please fill in this form.

Applications will be charged at £30 (incl. VAT); payment can be made with a debit or credit card. (Cheque or cash payments cannot be accepted.)

Applications are to be made at the Customer Transport Operations Centre, World Freight Terminal, Manchester Airport, M90 5XR. Opening times: Tuesday to Friday 8am until 4pm. For queries, please email [email protected].

The accepted postcode areas are listed below.

• M22 0
• M22 1
• M22 4
• M22 5
• M22 8
• M22 9
• M23 0
• M23 1
• M23 2
• M23 9
• SK9 4
• SK9 5
• WA15 0
• WA15 7
• WA15 8
• WA16 6
• WA16 7

 

[peters]

More than Greater Manchester, it includes me in Wilmslow (I'm in SK9 5xx) (https://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/parking/pick-up-and-drop-off-info/local-residents/).

Wasn't aware Wilmslow was included. I knew it included Hale but not Mobberley.

 

[Chrisgr31]

I have cycled along that National Route that passes underneath the airport. By definition the airport is n ot a great place to walk around as its built up. Maps of the area tend t be difficult to follow due to level changes

 

[Gonzoiku]

Wasn't aware Wilmslow was included. I knew it included Hale but not Mobberley.

Only some parts of Hale, I think.

GZ

 

[fkofilee]

Drop off at City Place and either walk or get the Bus for £1.30 Costs the same for South or North Terminal and is also 24/7.

 

[cjmillsnun]

Was going to suggest drop off outside the Holiday inn in Horley (NB don't go in the holiday inn, the car park is chargable) and people can jump on the shuttle bus

 

[robbeech]

The County Council and OS maps imply that one of the footpaths crosses a stream/drain near the hotel and it does not. Most of the roads in the area are strictly for vehicles only.

I must say i haven't found many major issues with OS maps, i've been using the app for years, but i will say that they're very good at dealing with errors if you report them to them by email.

As for Manchester (whilst not wanting to focus too far off topic) How useful is the rail station to people not using the airport (or nearby hotels)? Are there double back easements from Heald Green?

 

[thenorthern]

I know Birmingham International is £12 a day to park at so whenever I fly from Birmingham I park at the station rather than the airport as it's cheaper.

 

[peters]

As for Manchester (whilst not wanting to focus too far off topic) How useful is the rail station to people not using the airport (or nearby hotels)?

It's useful to local businesses (South Manchester & Cheshire) and for those who live in the villages south of the airport and travel for work, as business travellers don't tend to like fussing around with waiting for local connecting trains. They also tend to like travelling on trains where there are tables so they can work, which doesn't apply to many of Northern's local services in the area but does to the TransPennine trains and Northern's regional services from the airport. Wilmslow's a useful station for business travellers going south but not so good for those going north, while with the airport station the opposite applies.

 

[silverfoxcc]

Re comment on yellow lines outwith the proposed stopping off zones

You are allowed to stop on Single and double yellow lines for the purposes of passengers boarding and alighting ( eg dropping off)

The driver can even leave the car unattended to assist a vunerable person ( small child et) or those with limited or no personal mobiilty( wheelchairs) but you don't go in for a cup of tea!!!

Also if Gatwick go the way of several other airports Robin Hood, East Midlands and John Lennion then you might get the parking company pariahs who, with the aid of telephoto lenses send you q 'Speculative invoice NOTE NOT a fine. Fines can only be levied by Councils or the Courts for dropping off. As most airports are covered by by-laws then it is not relevant land and the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 does not apply to the keeper being liable, this act also covers a lot of station car parks,and onlt the TOC can raise a case within 6 months after which it times out. in effect if the parking company do not know who the driver is they cannot chase the keeper.
They usually also screw up the wording in the INVOICE they send out which if you take a few minutes via the pepipoo.com website ( private parking and clamping forum) you will easily get a win at the POPLA appeal

One word of warning NEVER EVER EVER if the parking company is a member of another organisation eg ISA

It is worth rembering to never admit to being the driver OR who the driver was.not even referring to them in an obscure way eg wife, husband, brother, daughter, son, dog etc. When replying to a parking company, it is ‘I am the Registered Keeper...and when describing actions,,’the driver saw this’ ‘ the driver did that’

It is worth bookmarking pepipoo.com should you ever fall foul of them and even councils are not immune to getting the procedure wrong as well!

A good case location pertinent to this is the Shell garage at Gatwick easily found on the pepipoo site.

Hope this helps

Best of luck

 

[peters]

Re comment on yellow lines outwith the proposed stopping off zones

You are allowed to stop on Single and double yellow lines for the purposes of passengers boarding and alighting ( eg dropping off)

The driver can even leave the car unattended to assist a vunerable person ( small child et) or those with limited or no personal mobiilty( wheelchairs) but you don't go in for a cup of tea!!!

Stopping on yellow lines to make a delivery is also permitted. However, in any case you should try to avoid stopping somewhere where it would be a nuisance to others e.g. blocking a junction or stopping on a bend.