Gatwick Making Drivers Pay For Fast Drop-Offs

Charges for vehicles using Gatwick's North Terminal forecourt will begin on March 8th.

The airport's management today (February 11) confirmed that the payment scheme, first outlined last October, will mean a £5 charge for each vehicle dropping-off passengers outside the North Terminal.

At the moment, the North Terminal is the only section of the airport open for passenger flights.

In an attempt to mitigate the charge's impact, the airport also today announced that it will be free for drivers to leave passengers in the long-stay car-park, where shuttle buses will take them to terminals at no charge.

Management added that it was hoped the new revenue stream, from the charges, might help protect airport jobs.

They also indicated the charge was part of a bigger picture to move airport ground transport away from private vehicles:

"The initiative will help to reduce traffic congestion and emissions for the surrounding area as well as being a deterrent for a car-led recovery once more regular travel resumes post the COVID-19 national lockdown."

There will be an exemption for blue-badge holders.

The airport added that anyone who does not wish to pay the charge will be able to drop-off or pick-up passengers in the airport's long-stay car parks with two hours free parking and a free shuttle bus to the terminal.  

Alternatively, passengers can arrive by public transport — with management saying this would "take advantage of the significant improvements to train and bus services to the airport" in recent years.

In today's announcement, the airport's team emphasised its belief in promoting sustainable transport to and from the airport.

It said:

"By encouraging other forms of journey to the airport, the charge will help Gatwick continue to meet its commitment to reduce 'Kiss and Fly' - the least sustainable type of journey to the airport as it involves two return car journeys - and may contribute to a reduction in traffic at Gatwick and surrounding local areas.  

"In 2019 around 15% of airport journeys were 'Kiss and Fly'.  

"Reducing the airport's environmental impact continues to be an important focus and Gatwick will make a contribution from the revenue into Gatwick's existing Sustainable Transport Fund."

Jonathan Pollard, Chief Commercial Officer, said:

"It is no secret that the airport is going through the most difficult period in its history and we have little choice but to explore new revenue streams that will us help us recover from the COVID-19 crisis and continue as an important provider of economic prosperity and jobs across the region.

"This new scheme will also encourage passengers to consider more sustainable transport options, including taking advantage of our excellent public transport services.  

"We plan to use this charge to build on these services by using a proportion of the revenue raised to support new sustainable transport initiatives, in addition to our ongoing project to build a new £150 million airport train station which is progressing well."

How The Charge Will Work

• £5 for the first 10 minutes
• £1 for each additional minute up to 20 minutes.
• Maximum charge: £25
• Maximum stay: 30 mins.

The charging system and enforcement will be managed using Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras.  

Passengers using the system will be able to pay online using a range of payment methods including credit or debit card, Google and Apple Pay.

Marshals will also be on hand in the forecourts to assist passengers.  

National Car Parks (EUK) Ltd has been appointed Gatwick's operations partner on forecourt charging and will support all of the payment and penalty notice process for the scheme. 

Blue badge holders will be able to access the forecourt free of charge by registering their details (https://www.gatwickairport.com/dropoff) up to three months in advance before arriving at the airport.

When the charge is introduced for the South Terminal, at a later date, local commuters living within a limited number of postcode sectors close to the airport (RH6 0, RH6 9, RH11 0) with no public transport access will be allowed two visits per day to use the train station by paying an annual £50 charge.  

Residents in these areas wishing register with the Local Commuter Scheme should visit https://www.gatwickairport.com/dropoff for information on how to register.

More Restrictions

A Red Route system is being introduced across the airport campus to indicate that stopping to park, load or unload, board or alight from a vehicle is prohibited.  

Revenue raised through Red Route fines will also be used to fund sustainable transport initiatives under the guidance of the airport's Transport Steering Group, which includes external representatives from local authorities and transport operators.

The airport's public transport links have evolved to train services leaving for London every three to four minutes, and a £4 million upgrade to an airport bus interchange benefitting the 3 million people who use it each year.  

Pre-COVID-19 pandemic, around 650 local services arrived or departed the bus interchange each week, many of them 24-hour services.

Gatwick also said it remained committed to its investment in the ongoing £150 million project to upgrade the airport's train station, which will make connections to other destinations easier by doubling the size of the station concourse, adding five new lifts and eight escalators to improve passenger flow, and widening two platforms to reduce overcrowding.