Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver's anger over Leeds Bradford Airport car parking

A Harrogate taxi company is claiming Leeds Bradford Airport have lowered the height restrictions at their main short-stay car park. The short-stay car park is one of the few options at the airport, where people can drop passengers off.

This costs £3 for a vehicle - which according to Harrogate's Elite taxis, a taxi driver would normally pay for this out of his own pocket. It's claimed that the barriers on the car park at Leeds Bradford Airport have been lowered to 1.9 metres, however the airport says nothing has been changed.

For most cars this isn't a problem, but for people travelling in larger vehicles or some SUVs, it means they need to go into the long-stay car park. This adds an extra £4 to the cost.

Tim Hargreaves is an operator for Elite taxis:

"What concerns us more than anything is that a lot of Range Rovers and SUVs are higher than 1.9 metres, which means if you're travelling to the airport in one, you aren't going to fit into the car park. "A few weeks ago it was absolutely fine, and then just suddenly over the last few days the height restrictions have been lowered.

"Nobody is expecting Leeds-Bradford to do it for free, for years and years they've charged, we don't always like it, but we have to accept it. "Now because they've lowered the barrier, and the long-stay car park costs £7, the taxi companies can't forfeit the money so it's going to have to be passed onto the paying passengers."

However, Leeds Bradford Airport have said that the access height to their 'Express and Short Stay 1 Car Parks' is 1.9m (6ft2in) and that this height is clearly adve prtised on the restrictors and has been for years.

A spokesperson for Leeds Bradford Airport added:

"It is the responsibility of the vehicle owner/driver to ensure they are fully aware of their vehicle dimensions prior to entering anywhere with restrictors. "The entry height restrictors have been checked, serviced and maintained for operational and health and safety reasons, this includes the calibration of the height of the restrictor.

"We provide a dedicated bus/coach/larger vehicle lane which is unrestricted should you wish to use this lane which is the closest car park to the terminal building, alternatively we offer a free 1 hour car park which has no restrictions should you wish to use this area instead."

A spokesperson for Leeds Bradford Airport added:

"It is the responsibility of the vehicle owner/driver to ensure they are fully aware of their vehicle dimensions prior to entering anywhere with restrictors. "The entry height restrictors have been checked, serviced and maintained for operational and health and safety reasons, this includes the calibration of the height of the restrictor.

"We provide a dedicated bus/coach/larger vehicle lane which is unrestricted should you wish to use this lane which is the closest car park to the terminal building, alternatively we offer a free 1 hour car park which has no restrictions should you wish to use this area instead."