Taxi Driver Online

Private cars face new charges for airport stops

CAR drivers will have to pay to collect family and friends from two of Scotland's major airports under a major transport and environment scheme aimed at encouraging more people to use public transport.

The new system, under which motorists are charged £1 to park for up to two hours at a designated "pick-up" area, began operating at Edinburgh Airport last month.

And as of next month, motorists will be banned from picking up passengers outside the terminal at Glasgow Airport.

Instead they will face a £1 fee, which allow them to park for 15 minutes, rising to £2 for 30 minutes, in a designated car park designed solely for passenger pick-ups. BAA, which runs both airports, said last night that the changes had also become necessary because of increased security and safety factors.

"Terminal forecourts at both airports date from the 1990s and the volume of passengers and vehicles has increased tremendously since then.

"At peak hours Glasgow Airport alone has 1,400 cars per hour passing the terminal, which obviously increases the risks to passengers crossing the forecourt on foot," a spokesman for BAA said.

"Under the new system we can also ensure that we know exactly who is the owner of any vehicle waiting or parked outside the terminal."

The Edinburgh project has had a total of £2 million invested in it, while Glasgow Airport's scheme, publicised as creating a "cleaner, safer environment", has cost approximately £250,000.

At both airports, buses and airport taxis will be able to pick up outside the terminal building. Motorists and private-hire taxis will still be able to drop passengers off at the outer forecourt of the terminal building.

But the inner lane of the airport will be blocked with a barrier. Only buses and licensed airport taxis registered on an automatic number-plate recognition system will be able to use the lane. Airport managers hope the move will encourage greater use of public transport.

At present, about 12 per cent of passengers travel to and from the airport by public transport.

Alan Barr, managing director of Glasgow Airport, said: "With passenger numbers increasing month after month, it is vital that we take these steps now.

"Road-traffic volumes round the terminal forecourt have become unsustainable. Reducing the amount of traffic stopping in front of the terminal will improve security. We also want to give priority to public transport users," Mr Barr said.

But one driver charged at Edinburgh Airport said: "It's just another way of getting more money out of travellers."

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=768992006

Get set for a rise in the value of the taxi plates with airport permits

One Paisley zone plate with an Airport permit recently went for around £60,000

Its going to be a nightmare when someone phones for a private hire car

Just now we can pick up right in front of the main entrance but next month we are going to have to wait in some car park while the customer makes his way over (if he can find us)

Sounds like a money making exercise by BAA

The Airport taxis will also benefit from this nonsense & woe betide anyone going on a short journey as we all know how crabbit they are

I think it will be a case, as happens at Gatwick and Heathrow, that you will have to park up and go find the punter.

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IDFIMH

Not renown for their charitable status.

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IDFIMH

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/5053590.shtml

Our company has a meeting with BAA tommorow about this too - so maybe the baseball bats they take with them will help

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The views and comments of Charlie are virtual only - as this is t'internet boys and girls!

No running to the bosses - nobody likes a grass!

Well that's the pH taken care of, but what about taxis from other areas, If I was to bring a fare from the borders or go to pick one up what happens??? where do we go we are hack not pH

it's not Balck Hacks it's Glasgow Taxis Ltd, who are paying for the priveledge, I don't really know what the fuss is about, passengers have to walk an extra 20 yards in Glasgow, we allways picked up on the outer lane anyway, (was less busy) when passenger calls or books, they are asked to wait in a certain area, "car park 3" "bus stop 1" etc works if you communicate, and costs nothing less, storm in a teacup, in the grand scheme of things, roll on the day when theres no distinction between "taxis" seems to work in the rest of the world, pretty sure the government could care less, but the "trade" is trying to operate like a cartel, what happened to a free market, I don't see it being long till PH can advertise and Pick up on the street, perhaps we should all have to pass a test similar to London, but it would be better for all IMHO

I wonder if the new rules apply to the unlicensed private hire company that operates out of Glasgow Airport ?

http://www.first-travel-global.co.uk/id2.html