Cabbies angry over Newcastle Airport parking fees

Taxis can currently park outside the airport for five minutes for free

Changes to parking facilities at Newcastle Airport could spark a passenger backlash, taxi drivers fear.

From 26 April vehicles will not be able to drop off outside the terminal building for free and will have to use a "pick-up and drop off" car park.

But some cabbies fear the three-minute walk will anger passengers.

Newcastle Airport said the changes followed consultation and that a new planned express parking area could be used at a cost of £1 for 20 minutes.

Steve Bell, who drives for Park Taxis on Tyneside, said: "By law we are not allowed to put this £1 onto the tariff. We can only charge our Hackney carriage rate.

Offsite drivers

"I've got a contract up there and it's going to cost me somewhere in the region of about £5 to £6 per day.

"We're in a recession here and we're asking people to find £20 a week extra to drop passengers off."

At the moment, cars and taxis can park outside the terminal building for free for five minutes.

Graeme Mason, head of planning and corporate affairs at Newcastle Airport, said: "We're one of the very few airports of our size that has been able to not only retain a free period but increase it.

"We've listened to customers and offsite taxi drivers and they've been telling us that the five-minute period that is currently available in front of the terminal building isn't long enough.

"So we've put in place a plan that will allow us to extend the period to 15 minutes.

"If we were to extend the existing provision immediately in front of the terminal building to 15 minutes, we wouldn't be able to accommodate it because of the very limited space."