Dewar should ground 'drop-off' fee plan

AS MANAGING director of Edinburgh Airport, Gordon Dewar's contempt for his customers (your report, 13 July) suggests that he shouldn't be moving to a new job in Bahrain, but one in a country where commercial considerations take second place to control of the public.

I am always happy to pick up visitors from the airport or Waverley station, and drop them off again when they leave, but I prefer the airport because it is far more user-friendly.

Admittedly, when picking people up, I use the short-stay car park as one can never be sure that they will arrive on time, or how long it will take for their luggage to appear, but being charged 1 to simply drop someone off is extortionate, especially when there is the implied threat that the toll might be increased. Mr Dewar should be pleased that people want to use his airport rather than trying to discourage them.

If there is congestion and difficulty with people crossing between the dropping-off point and the terminal, that is because it has been badly designed and that is the fault of BAA, including Mr Dewar.

The fact that he has been told by anonymous officials that the charge might not be high enough is sinister.

One MSP told me that councils and government departments that take a certain attitude to motorists then attract officials - who are supposed to be non-political - of like mind, and then the persecution of motorists intensifies. The City of Edinburgh Council, the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland are all anti-car, despite this being the ideal mode of transport for a sparsely-populated country.

It is a shame that Edinburgh, unlike Glasgow, does not have another airport within easy reach. But of course, that is why BAA at Glasgow cannot introduce such a charge for fear of losing passengers to Prestwick.

DAVID WRAGG

Stoneyflatts, South Queensferry

Gordon Dewar states the justification for the "drop-off" fee is due to "increased congestion in the drop-off zone". I suspect that the issue is less to do with "drop-off" rather than what BAA sees as "lost revenue" because "pick-up" drivers are not using the short-term car park.

Recently, additional capacity has been created in the short-term car park by removing a landscaped area.

There would be no additional costs requiring a levy to use this additional space as drop-off or pick-up, thus reducing pollution and congestion.

Indeed, if the airport was wanting to become "customer friendly" the first half-hour of parking could be free.

MICHAEL N CROSBY

Little Compston,

Muiravonside ,

By Linlithgow