Manchester Airport is to introduce a barrierless system for vehicles dropping off and picking up passengers.
Automatic number plate recognition system
The new technology will be managed through an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system like that already in use at some other UK airports and familiar settings like bridges and tunnels. It will come into operation in late March 2025.
Cameras will identify cars by their registration number (license plate) and automatically record who has used the pickup or drop-off area. Rather than stopping at a barrier and paying as they leave the area, drivers will leave and then pay the charge by midnight the following day. They can do this over the phone or online.
There will be no change to the existing charges. No payments will be made when exiting the area. Frequent users, including taxi drivers, will be able to set up an auto-pay account for future visits – more information about this will be available in the coming weeks. There will be prominent signs in and around the forecourt areas to remind drivers of the new system once it is introduced.
Streamlines passenger experience
The switch to a new barrierless drop-off and pickup system is intended to improve the overall experience for both drivers and passengers, reduce congestion and improve traffic flow.
Sue West, landside operations director of Manchester Airports, said, “Here at Manchester Airport we’re always looking for ways to make our passengers’ lives easier. By removing barriers in our drop-off and pickup zones it will speed up the process and make it feel seamless.
“The barrierless system will be implemented across the various drop-off and pickup areas around the airport in a phased approach over the last weeks of March and the start of April – exact dates will be communicated in the coming weeks.”
In related news, Manchester Airport recently revealed a preview of its 10-year, £1.3bn (US$1.6bn) transformation program, which is due to be completed later in 2025. The Northern Gateway transformation program will be finished when its brand-new Terminal 2 opens fully to the public. Click here to read the full story.