Birmingham Airport, Sort Your Drop-off Zone Out!
UDATED WITH REPLY FROM NCP
Birmingham Airport has been in the headlines over the last few months due to long queues for passengers waiting to go through security.
But the Airport has another problem. As traffic has increased post pandemic, the drop-off zone outside the terminal is not really up to the job.
You might ask why? Well, with East Midlands which suffers the same internal congestion, Birmingham’s exit barriers for drop-off drivers rely on pre-payment at a machine, or pay at the actual barrier.
This results in traffic jams within the drop-off (Premium Set Down) zone. Which can mean that your just-paid ticket could go past the 15 minutes allowance by the time you get to the barrier!
Clients often laugh when we tell them that 0330 am in the morning is the busiest time for the drop-off zone.
At that early time, the airport has to provide staff on each of the three barriers to expedite vehicles. Often they even lift all the barriers to let everyone out to reduce the backlog. A bit annoying if you’ve already paid!
A member of staff standing in the broken exit lane at the Premium Set Down zone at Birmingham Airport.
This problem got even worse recently when the middle barrier of the three was out of action. Take a look at my colleague’s post.
So what can be done to help the situation?
Birmingham Airport should install ANPR cameras (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) which would allow drivers to drive in and out of the Premium Set Down zone without having to wait for a barrier to open.
Payment would be collected online, just like the drop-off zones at Heathrow and Gatwick. That way, if like us you use the zone frequently, you can purchase a ‘block’ of visits.
Paying for drop-offs in advance at Heathrow Airport via the their website.
But surely, doesn’t Birmingham Airport already have ANPR cameras as you don’t get a ticket when entering the zone? No ticket, but you do have to pick out your vehicle on a screen when paying at one of the machines.
So with the cameras already installed, how difficult would it be to convert the system to an online payment method?
A payment kiosk at the Premium Set Down zone at Birmingham Airport.
Now here comes the problem. The car parks that offer ANPR and online payment are run by APCOA, Birmingham Airport’s car parks are run by NCP. Not just a case of transposing technology from one airport car park to another.
Contacting NCP
So are we likely to see a barrier-less ANPR equipped drop-off zone at Birmingham Airport soon? We have sent that question to the airport via the contact page.
And we got a quick reply from Arshad Ali, Duty Manager, National Car Parks Ltd.
“I would just like to let you know we are aware of the issue with the barrier and we are currently waiting for parts to be delivered and the engineers will be able to fix the issue straight away. In regards to the ANPR and online payment system applies at other airport we currently don’t have this system in place at Birmingham Airport as of yet but may be implemented in the near future whilst other works are being carried out.”
Well that sounds promising, we are sure the new system would pay for itself quite quickly as it would mean an end to the early morning free barrier lifts.
To find out more about the Premium Set Down area and the free drop-off zone, have a read of this article- Understanding Birmingham Airport Drop-Off Fees: A Complete Guide.