Glasgow Airport to introduce drop-off charge Published duration 24 January 2017

image caption The airport will begin charging driver £2 to drop off customers

Drivers are to be charged a fee of £2 to drop off passengers at Glasgow Airport in future.

The charge is expected to take effect from the end of April when a new pick-up and drop-off point will open opposite the main terminal building.

A spokeswoman said the charge was being introduced after "all possible alternatives" to ease congestion at the airport had been exhausted.

A pick-up fee has been in place at the airport since 2010.

Construction work is currently under way to create the new pick-up and drop-off zone, where the £2 charge will entitle drivers to a 10-minute stay. Blue badge holders will be exempt.

'Severe congestion'

The work will also see the traffic flow on St Andrew's Drive, where the Holiday Inn Express is located, reversed. This change is due to take affect in March.

Amanda McMillan, managing director of the airport, said the investment represented one of the most significant upgrades to the road network in more than 10 years.

She added: "It has been apparent for some time that our current drop-off area, which suffers from severe congestion on a daily basis, is simply no longer fit for purpose.

image copyright Glasgow Airport image caption An artist's impression of the new drop off facility

"It was implemented at a time when we were carrying 6.5 million passengers, however, we have since enjoyed sustained growth and are now fast approaching the 10 million mark."

Ms McMillan acknowledged that the new arrangement would be unpopular.

She added: "We have resisted introducing a drop-off charge despite most airports of our size having similar arrangements in place for many years, however, having exhausted all possible alternatives we have now reached a point whereby a chargeable facility is the only way to address congestion, discourage non-airport traffic and encourage best use of our road network."

Drivers will still be able to drop off people at the airport's long stay car park, which is a five-minute bus ride from the terminal building, free of charge.