Overview
- From Tuesday, January 6, Gatwick increases its forecourt drop-off fee to £10 and London City begins an £8 levy allowing five minutes, then £1 per minute up to 10 minutes.
- Heathrow lifted its charge to £7 on January 1, and Bristol’s ‘Drop Off & Pick Up’ rises to £8.50 for 10 minutes from Monday, January 5.
- London City lists exemptions for Blue Badge holders and, initially, licensed taxis, with TfL set to consult on adding the fee to taxi meters.
- Forecourt monitoring is shifting to ANPR-based, barrierless systems, with Manchester requiring online payment by midnight the next day or a £100 fine and offering a free shuttle drop-off alternative.
- Criticism is growing from motorists and industry voices, with the Business Travel Association warning that rising fees set new benchmarks and risk becoming an unregulated burden on travellers and workers.