Gatwick: Drop-off charge introduced for travellers

People dropping off travellers will pay £5 to access the airports North Terminal forecourt from March 8.

It is hoped the charge will reduce traffic congestion and emissions for the surrounding area.

Visitors will have to pay £5 for 10 minutes, and £1 for each additional minute up to 20 minutes. The maximum charge will be £25 and the maximum length of stay 30 mins.

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.”

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.

A charge will be introduced for the South Terminal at a later date.

At this point, people living within a limited number of postcode sectors close to the airport with no public transport access will be allowed two visits per day to use the train station for £50 a year.

The postcodes are RH6 0, RH6 9 and RH11 0.

A red route system is also 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 the fines will also be used to fund "sustainable transport initiatives".