The new "drop and go" facility is adjacent to both terminalsBirmingham International Airport is spending £2 million on adapting
and improving the traffic flow and parking arrangements for drivers
dropping-off and collecting passengers, following last year’s security
alert at Glasgow Airport. The Airport is now urging drivers to use the
facilities sensibly to ensure that traffic flows are kept moving, and to
use the car parking arrangements in the way they are intended
.
A major piece of work has already been carried out on the "Drop
and Go" facility, which is designed for drivers dropping-off
passengers only. This area was previously known by many users as
the Short-Stay Surface Car Park, adjacent to the Terminals, but the
new name change of "Drop and Go" describes exactly what it is
intended to do. This will overall increase the number of ‘drop off’
spaces compared to the previous set down areas available
prior to June 2007
.
Richard Gill, the Airport’s Head of Market Development
- Commercial, explains, “The Airport was forced to shut down the set
down roads at the front of its two terminals within minutes of the
Glasgow Airport attack in June 2007, causing confusion for
passengers and challenges for the Airport Company
.
”Since then, we’ve had some major challenges and we understand
that many drivers have been disappointed by the previous
arrangement. However, I believe my team and our commercial
partners have made the best out of a very difficult situation and we
can now move forward
.
“The investment we have made, to the "Drop and Go" facility in
particular, will help access, safety and speed of dropping people at
the Airport and we urge drivers to only use the "Drop and Go"
facility for dropping-off passengers only, and to use the
Multi-Storey Car Parks for collecting people"
.
To improve the site for drivers who are collecting passengers from
flights into Birmingham, they are advised to park in the Multi-Storey
Car Parks. If drivers need to wait for long periods of time before
their passengers arrive, they can wait for free, up to an hour, in the
surface Long Stay Car Park One. Here, drivers can dwell in a newly
installed waiting facility
.
Work carried out on the "Drop and Go" facility includes installing an
additional entrance lane and realigning all three lanes to run parallel
to each other so that they are used equally. A third exit lane has also
been installed so that there is less likelihood of queues on departure,
and all parking bays have been angled at 45 degrees, in a herring
bone fashion, allowing motorists to use them more efficiently.
There are also special bays for mini buses and disabled drivers
.
The number of pay machines has also been increased and they are
conveniently located throughout the "Drop and Go" area to reduce
drivers’ congestion time
.
Typical prices in "Drop and Go" are £1 for 20 minutes and £3 for
every subsequent 15 minutes thereafter. When picking passengers
up, the Multi-Storey Car Parks are priced at £1 per 30 minutes
and £3.30 per hour; however, after this time the usual short term
charges apply. Alternatively, drivers can wait for their passengers
to call on arrival in Long-Stay Car Park One for free up to one hour
.
Tuesday 17 June 2008
Thomsonfly used recently delivered Boeing 737-800 G-FDZP on 
Lufthansa used Canadair RJ 100 D-ACJH on their flight from Hamburg
Cessna 172 G-BPWR was an early evening visitor to the Elmdon apron
West Air Europe BAe ATP LX-WAM spent the day parked on the
