East Midlands Airport to unveil new-look parking

A MAJOR redevelopment of the short-stay car park at East Midlands Airport will be completed this week.

The car park has been reconfigured into five zones, including areas for blue badge holders, short stay, car hire and the reintroduction of a dedicated passenger drop-off area.

As part of the redevelopment, passengers will be able to use the new rapid drop-off zone, close to the terminal, for 10 minutes at a cost of £1.

And an automatic number plate recognition system has been installed so pre-booked cars can enter and exit the car park.

The redesign featured responses to customer feedback and it is hoped the new layout will significantly improve the traffic flow at peak times.

The extra time needed in the car park when customers are collecting passengers has also been taken into account.

For this reason, the 10-minute free parking option in the short-stay car park has been replaced with an extended period of an hour of free parking in the long-stay car park and a complimentary bus journey between the car park and the terminal.

Penny Coates, managing director of the airport, said: "It is all about making the journey for our passengers as easy as possible and investing in the right facilities and infrastructure to suit the needs of our customers.

"The airport continually looks at our passenger's entire journey, to deliver improvements which will enhance the overall experience and meet the requirements of modern lifestyles."

Apcoa Parking (UK) Ltd has been appointed to manage the coaching and car parking operation at the airport.

It operates car parking in 18 countries and at Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Exeter airports in the UK.