last london airport removes free drop-off zone and imposes an £8 charge

City Airport was one of the few left with a free drop-off zone,but that is changing from next week (Picture: Getty Images)

The last London airport with a free passenger drop-off has announced it will start charging drivers in the new year,following in the footsteps of other major travel hubs.

Until now,drivers taking a loved one to City Airport by car have been able to do it for free – unlike at other London airports like Heathrow and Gatwick,where a drop-off levy has been a standard for years.

But from January 6,the east London airport will charge £8 for a five-minute stay in a bid to encourage more use of public transport to and from the airport,it said.

Gatwick made headlines before Christmas when it announced its drop-off fee will rise to a record-high £10,while Heathrow will hike up the charge to £7 in the new year.

While the majority of the London region airports have public transport links,many will have to opt for a private car,taxi or Uber.

Taxi drivers have labelled the record-high fees ‘unjustifiable.’ They warned that charges will be passed on to the passengers,and that drivers will avoid taking airport jobs altogether due to higher costs.

However,there are some budget-friendly ways to drop-off at the UK’s biggest airports.

London City Airport

City Airport,in the borough of Newham,will charge £8 from Tuesday,January 6,for a five-minute drop-off. Longer stays will cost £1 per minute up to a maximum of ten minutes. Blue badge holders and black cabs licensed with TfL will be exempt from the charge.

However,travel expert Rob Burgess,the founder of Head for Points frequent flyer platform,revealed a simple trick to avoid the fee.

He told The Independent: ‘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.’

The airport’s main terminal is also connected to the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) with its own station,offering access to central London and nearby Tube stations like Canning Town.

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Heathrow Airport free alternative drop-off

Heathrow’s new drop-off fee took effect on New Year’s Day (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo)

The price of a 10-minute drop-off at the UK’s busiest airport increased to £7 from January 1. Drivers can pre-pay for the drop off or pay by midnight on the next day.

Those wanting to avoid the fee and with a bit more time in their hands could use the free drop-off from any of the three Heathrow Park & Ride car parks. The long-stay park & ride car parks are served by a free shuttle bus every 15 minutes. Previously known as Long Stay car parks,drivers should follow signs for Long Stay Parking when coming from the M4 or M25.

Where are Heathrow's free drop-off sites located?

Heathrow has three Park & Ride car parks,where you can drop-off for free.Terminal 2 & 3: Long Stay Terminal 2 & 3,Eastern Perimeter Road,TW6 2SBTerminal 4: Long Stay Terminal 4,Scylla Road,Southern Perimeter Rd,TW6 3XLTerminal 5: Long Stay Terminal 5,Northern Perimeter Road,TW6 2RL

Gatwick Airport free drop-off option

Similar to Heathrow,Gatwick also has a free drop-off option at the long stay car parks in the North and South Terminals.It is free for up to a two-hour stay and has a free shuttle bus to the terminals,which takes around 10 minutes.

Stansted Airport’s free drop-off

Those looking to avoid Stansted’s £7 fee could use the Mid Stay Car Park on Thremhall Avenue,which is free for up to 60 minutes,and £5 for the next hour.But there is a catch – the mid-stay car park doesn’t have a direct shuttle,meaning those heading to the terminal have to either walk for 30 minutes to the terminal or catch a bus.The nearest free bus is a shuttle from a nearby Holiday Inn,which is around five minutes from the mid stay car park on foot.

Luton Airport’s free drop-off car park

Luton’s long stay car park offers free parking for up to two hours,with an additional hour costing £7.The long stay spot can be found with postcode LU2 9NW,with a free shuttle bus operating 24 hours a day,every 20 minutes to the terminal,with a journey taking around 10 minutes. Bus stops are located throughout the long stay car park,and passengers can also take the shuttle back to it from Bus Bay B outside the terminal building.