Edinburgh airport: Even the Greens say No to 'kiss and fly' fee

Published on Monday 19 July 2010 15:17

THE Greens have 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.

The Scotsman has also revealed that senior airport managers opposed the charge when it was discussed last year, fearing it would damage the terminal's reputation.

In theory, the Greens were the most likely to back Edinburgh airport managing director Gordon Dewar's planned charge, which is due to be introduced in October.

Mr Dewar is leaving next week to run Bahrain airport in the Middle East.

However, a party spokesman said: "Fees and fares should be designed to encourage more sustainable transport habits, going by the train instead of the plane where possible, and taking the bus to the airport instead of the car.

"As it stands, this proposed charge is simply one more way to screw money out of travellers."

The Greens' spokesman said they did not believe the move was designed to do anything other than raise revenue, because the charge would be only 1.

He argued that it would be insufficient to deter people from driving to the airport, and would have a negligible effect on encouraging greater bus use and cutting congestion around the airport.

He said the party believed any charge should be set at such a level as to deter people from taking their cars to the airport, and absolutely all of the revenue raised should be ring-fenced and reinvested in supporting and subsidising public transport, including the airport bus service and the proposed tram route to the terminal.

The other opposition parties - Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats - have already voiced opposition to the charge, along with Margo MacDonald, Holyrood's sole independent MSP, who represents the Lothians.

Mr Dewar says the charge is to pay for a new, larger drop-off zone in the multi-storey car park to replace the current congested and abused area. A free drop-off zone, linked to the terminal by shuttle buses, will be provided at the long-stay car park.

An airport spokesman said: "The 1 charge is optional. Dropping off passengers at Edinburgh airport remains free of charge and people with special needs will be looked after."

He added: "Every penny raised by the alternative drop-off facility will be reinvested in airport facilities, the promotion of public transport and community schemes."