"Airport fee is 'desperate' bid for cash"
"
he said: "If Edinburgh airport is carrying 13 million passengers by 2013, I'll run naked down the runway."
"
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Airport-fee-is-39desperate39-bid.6425635.jp
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
Fury at Edinburgh airport 'access charge'
(64 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
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THE Green party has dismissed Edinburgh airport's proposed £1 charge for dropping off passengers at the terminal as "simply one more way to screw money out of travellers".
The party, which supports the principle of cutting car trips to the airport, said the charge would simply be a tax because it would be too low to change drivers' behaviour.
It means all the political groupings in the Scottish Parliament have now come out in opposition to the "kiss and fly" charge, while the Scottish Government announced last week that ministers did not support the move either.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"No viable public transport option' to the airport" -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/edinburgh/2010/jul/28/edinburgh-airport-drop-off-petition-campaign
Posted 13 years ago # -
So you are taking your family off on holiday, and you don't live in the city. What are the viable transport options to the airport?
Get the train to Haymarket and then the Bus? Yeah that's a bundle of laughs with cases and buggies.
Airport Taxi's you say another way to fleece the travelling public.
Park n ride or Park at the Airport lets say £40 a week (assuming you have a car)Arrange a lift to get dropped off and you will get charged a pound for having the cheek to do something sensible given no alternative.
Now remember the pick-up point is already INSIDE the parking area, so now you'll get hit twice.The travelling public get royally fleeced every time they step inside an airport, why should we expect getting dropped off to be different?
Posted 13 years ago # -
Hi guys you, like me, all seem to feel pretty strongly on the subject. I have started up a facebook campaign and would really like you guys to join in the discussion:
Oppose the Drop Off Charges at Edinburgh Airport
I also covered a story on the impact of the changes at Belfast International Airport which were implemented back in July:
Belfast International Airport Parking Drop Off Charges
Thanks in advance for all your support. Please take the opportunity to have your say on the issues at Edinburgh and Belfast.
Hopefully if we can grow a strong online community opposing the changes the government will have to stand up to greedy airport operators!
For updates you can also follow us on Twitter @airportinfo
Posted 13 years ago # -
My query is the logistics of it all, are they going to have a coin slot at the barrier, and what if you get to the front and don't have change, under the one way system in place at the moment there would be no-way to get through.
Or do you take a ticket, drop the person off, then walk to the machine pay and walk back to your car, turning a 30 second job into a 3 minute one.
There are signs up for it now on the approach road.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I don't think they will introduce a ticketed system because as you say it is far too time consuming.
At belfast international you pay by coin on exit. But i'm sure if you don't have the right change you'll be able to pay on card...or perhaps fine you...they'll find some way to fleece you!
Posted 13 years ago # -
I notice this thread has run dry. In the next couple of weeks the charges will be introduced BUT the Lord Provest has recently urged Edinburgh City Council to buy back the airport roads and abolish the charges.
I have created another thread where we may discuss the possible repercussions and personal experiences of drop off fee when it is introduced:
Posted 13 years ago # -
When I travel into work on the train from Fife, I hear the automatic anouncement saying that you can get the bus to the airport at Inverkeithing and Haymarket. Haymarket doesn't even have a lift and only has access via stairs now. The door to the old carpark seems closed permenantly. I also see they have two sets of ramps for wheel chairs. I'd love to see someone turn up at the station asking to get on to the platform. But back on the topic, I'm not sure how often the bus turns up at Inverkeithing heading for the Airport.
Posted 13 years ago # -
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/hym/details.html
The Accessibilty and mobility section is hilarious
Posted 13 years ago # -
"
Yes
8 cycle racks.
"Really?
Are they still there? Car park shut - so are the steps.
Presume don't mean ones in front of Ryrie's??
Posted 13 years ago # -
I believe work is currently underway at Haymarket to rectify the long-standing lack of lift access to the platforms.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"Presume don't mean ones in front of Ryrie's??"
I think in their strange wee world they lay claim to those racks.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"I think in their strange wee world they lay claim to those racks."
On second thoughts... there are only six racks in front of Ryrie's so perhaps they /are/ talking about make believe racks.
Or can't count?
Posted 13 years ago # -
"On second thoughts... there are only six racks in front of Ryrie's so perhaps they /are/ talking about make believe racks."
Well yes.
There were racks in the car park. Don't know how many or if still 'accessible'.
Of course once upon a time there used to be racks on Platform 1 (perhaps only 2 - long time ago...)
They were removed for 'security reasons'.
This wasn't too much too much of a problem when they had racks in the car park and you could get straight into the station. That option was closed off when they introduced ticket barriers.
Anyone seen bike provision in station upgrade or tram stop plans (or is that integrated transport interchange plans??)
Posted 13 years ago # -
Thought you might be interested but the drop off charge will be introduced this Friday 29th October. Could cause a fair bit of commotion by the looks of it.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I've been trying to ignore this thread, as I feel pretty strongly about it, but as it keeps coming back from the dead I might as well have my say.
I'm happy for the charge to go ahead! Why? See below:
1. BAA is a private company, proposing to charge for access to privately owned facilities. If the decision proves commercially unattractive they will reverse it.
2. There will be free drop-off facilities provided slightly further from the terminal.
3. In 2006 just 27.1% of passengers are dropped-off at Edinburgh Airport, meaning three-quarters of passengers will be unaffected. (Figure from Edinburgh Airport Surface Access Strategy , page 13)
4. I would imagine that passengers being dropped-off tend to be discretionary travellers (Scottish outbound tourists) and not business travellers or foreign visitors who "boost the economy", so it will not really impact on inward tourism.
5. It's a pound - if you can afford to fly anywhere this is a marginal amount (I know it might increase - but never above the level of "marginal").
6. Driving and flying - are you seriously arguing in favour of these on an a cycling blog! (I know for some people these are unavoidable, but many flights from Edinburgh could be made by other less environmentally damaging modes).
7. "A fair bit of commotion" - two words for you "spending review". That will cause a commotion. Charging £1 to drop someone off at Edinburgh Airport - that will not cause a commotion.Just to clarify earlier comments about the role of the Council, the Council cannot adopt the aiport's roads without the agreement of BAA. Currently BAA pays for the upkeep fo the roads - guess who would have to pay for this if the roads were adopted by the Council?
What is it with drivers and their view that any charge, no matter how small, is some major imposition. Come on - let's see a convincing argument why this charge is a bad idea, above the fact opponents don't fancy parting with a pound.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Fair enough. Good points.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Yup. Agreed with morningsider on all points.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Does this make an airport 'green'? - Edinburgh Airport signs up to 'Green Champions' scheme
Posted 13 years ago # -
hear hear, Morningsider.
All aboard the tram for the airport. Change here for the rail link to Edinburgh Waverley. Change here for the bus link to Victoria Quay.
Posted 13 years ago # -
We're flying to Nepal shortly (I know, I know, it would be a lot more carbon friendly to cycle!) and we paid £460 tax on £430 flights - now that's what I call painful!
Bearing this in mind, I find it hard to understand why everybody is in a "fury" about a £1 drop-off fee (which could otherwise be a universal airport development fee, as some airports have - this is just a progressive version of the same thing).
Posted 13 years ago # -
"CRITICS of Edinburgh airport's new £1 "kiss and fly" fee today accused BAA of being "mean-spirited" for planning to charge drivers £5 if they take too long to drop off passengers."
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Controversial-new-airport-charge-goes.6602767.jp
Posted 13 years ago # -
"
Airport operator BAA is the only organisation in Edinburgh that has "permitted development" (PD) rights, meaning that it does not need planning consent before carrying out development on its grounds.That means that the council is unable to force the company to spend money on infrastructure improvements or public transport in the way that it can with other developers through "section 75" legal agreements.
"http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/City-seeks-tighter-controls-for.6629348.jp
Posted 13 years ago # -
Is that code for "the tram is going to stop at the perimeter fence and you can walk or take a shuttle bus the rest of the way"?
Posted 13 years ago # -
Posted 13 years ago #
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Now I don't mind the £1 drop off charge but what they don't tell you is if your vehicle is over 2.2 meters high you find yourself stuck with no option but to enter the short stay car park and fork out £2.20. It's blatant vehicle heightism!!!! Also ryan air charges more for my bicycle than it does for me and it wont even give my bike a seat!!!! fork 'n bike stewards!!
Posted 13 years ago # -
I notice that the sun hasn't stopped rising in the east because of this charge as predicted in the evening chipwrapper
Posted 13 years ago # -
Mmmmmm chips!!
Posted 13 years ago # -
"
LOTHIAN Buses is taking Edinburgh Airport to court amid fears it could lose its lucrative route to the terminal.The council-owned bus firm will today go to the Court of Session in a bid to prevent airport bosses putting out to tender the right to pick up passengers from directly outside.
"
...."Lothian Buses were absolutely furious that they only found out about this days before the tender was due to go out.
"All this seems contrary to the ethos of increasing public transport that the airport talked about when they introduced the £1 drop-off fee. They should be looking to support bus services, not trying to claw more money off them."
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Airport-to-land-up-in.6762239.jp
Posted 13 years ago #
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