The last major airport without a drop-off charge, London City, is about to introduce an £8 fee for people reaching the Docklands terminal by car.
The new levy begins on 6 January. The £8 charge allows a stay of up to five minutes, increasing thereafter by £1 per minute up to a maximum stay of 10 minutes.
London City is telling passengers: “This move is part of our commitment to encourage more travel to and from the airport via public and sustainable transport modes, of which two-thirds of our passengers already use.”
Blue badge holders will be exempt from the charge. Initially, so will licensed taxis. Transport for London (TfL) is to consult on a proposal from London City that the drop-off charge should be formally included in the meter, in line with TfL’s agreement with other major London airports.
The main public transport link to London City is the Docklands Light Railway. While the Elizabeth line passes very close to the terminal, Transport for London threw out a proposal from the airport for a self-funded station on the line.
Drivers are warned: “Do not wait in your vehicle or leave it unattended on the forecourt, as this may result in a penalty charge. Traffic is monitored by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.”
But Rob Burgess, founder of the frequent-flyer website Head for Points, said: “The snag for local residents is that this is a very easy fee to avoid.
“If you get dropped off on the corner of Drew Road and Leonard Street you are directly next to the pedestrian tunnel which takes you into the terminal in under a minute.
“You could also hop out at the private jet terminal, although the tunnel route is easier.”
The London City charge takes effect on the same day that Gatwick raises its charge for dropping off passengers outside the terminal from £7 to £10 — far higher than at any other UK airport.
Heathrow’s drop-off fee rose on New Year’s Day by a pound to £7.
Drop-off fees were first introduced following the attempted terrorist attack on the terminal at Glasgow in 2007, requiring airport forecourts to be reconfigured.
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