Blue badge holders should not pay airport drop-off fees, charity says

Mitchell LabiakBusiness reporter, BBC NewsGetty ImagesAll UK airports ought to cease charging blue badge holders for being dropped off near terminals, a incapacity charity has mentioned.A number of folks with blue badges acquired in contact with the BBC following information that greater than half of the busiest airports had raised the so-called “kiss-and-fly” charges to as excessive as £7 in some instances.Many airports already provide reductions or waive the payment for disabled drivers, however blue badge holders say the system is complicated and inconsistent.Graham Footer, chief government of Disabled Motoring UK, mentioned some airports have “allowed greed to cloud their judgement”, and argues folks with disabilities mustn’t must pay the cost in any respect.”Disabled clients should be handled with respect and dignity and never fleeced as quickly as they arrive,” he mentioned.Free drop offsThe BBC contacted the 20 busiest airports within the UK to verify their coverage on drop-off costs for blue badge holders.London Metropolis doesn’t cost drop-off charges for any sort of passenger. Gatwick, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Heathrow, Liverpool John Lennon and Manchester all cost a drop-off payment, however blue badge holders shouldn’t have to pay it.Luton, Glasgow, Belfast Worldwide, Belfast Metropolis, East Midlands, Aberdeen, and Southampton all cost blue badge holders the identical as different passengers for utilizing the drop-off areas closest to the airport. However additionally they all provide separate free drop-off parking particularly for blue badge holders elsewhere.For Glasgow and Aberdeen, this parking is just free if blue badge holders are being dropped off by household or pals – not if they’re dropped off by taxi.All airports provide free drop-off choices farther from the terminals for all passengers – not simply blue badge holders – similar to “park and journey” amenities the place folks can depart their automotive and take a bus to the airport.Bristol, Leeds Bradford, and Bournemouth all cost blue badge holders for drop off however enable them to remain for longer than different passengers at a decrease payment.Bristol costs £7 for 40 minutes, Leeds Bradford costs £7 for 60 minutes, and Bournemouth costs £5 for 4 hours as a result of it mentioned disabled passengers “could require extra time”.Solely Cardiff, Newcastle, and Stanstead cost the identical payment with no low cost in any respect.Cardiff costs £3 for 10 minutes, Newcastle costs £5 for 10 minutes, and Stanstead costs £7 for quarter-hour.Airports UK, which represents the business, mentioned that one of the best accessible drop-off for blue badge holders is dependent upon the format of the airport.”Nobody choice is good in any respect airports, so to optimise entry at every airport the provide will essentially be completely different,” it mentioned.It suggested passengers to verify the airport’s web site earlier than travelling to establish one of the best drop-off location.’It’s important to bounce by hoops’Many of the airports that waive drop-off charges accomplish that if a disabled driver exhibits their blue badge on the airport on the day.Nonetheless, for Heathrow and Liverpool, the exemption must be claimed on-line or on the telephone both earlier than or after travelling. Heathrow says its on-line course of for confirming blue badges can take 5 days to finish, although it instructed the BBC it often takes 48 hours.James Williams, 67, from London finds these companies troublesome to make use of.”I’m a blue badge holder and I’ve to pay as a result of I’m not laptop literate,” he says, arguing that “you must bounce by hoops to get this low cost”.James WilliamsJames Williams, a blue badge holder from London, says he finally ends up paying drop-off charges as a result of he is “not laptop literate”Jonathan Cassar, 51, from London says the complicated nature of on-line registration signifies that “disabled individuals who should be dropped at terminal can’t be spontaneous as others can”.Heathrow mentioned it had tried to make the blue badge registration course of “so simple as potential” and suggested anybody who wants registration urgently to get it authorised over the telephone.Liverpool mentioned it had launched on-line affirmation “to minimise abuse of the blue badge system”.’Not in opposition to precept’Not all blue badge holders really feel being charged for airport drop off is unfair.Gordon Richardson, chair of the British Polio Fellowship Board, is a blue badge holder however says he’s “not in opposition to the precept” of disabled folks paying the identical as non-disabled folks.He says what’s most vital is that the area is accessible and straightforward to make use of.He urges blue badge holders to contact airports earlier than travelling in order that the airports can have the employees prepared to assist them and guarantee they get their low cost or free parking.Most of the airports the BBC contacted mentioned their blue badge insurance policies had been drafted in session with incapacity teams and with particular consideration for his or her wants.