New paid drop-off and pick-up zone at Dublin Airport on the way

Plans to introduce drop-off and pick-up fees at Dublin Airport have been given the go ahead.

This comes after Fingal County Council granted planning permission to daa for new road infrastructure at Terminals 1 and 2 to allow the scheme for new paid drop off and pick up zones to be created.

In a statement, daa said:

“As part of our ‘sustainability’ agenda, the new system aims to reduce car journeys to and from the airport and to encourage passengers to make greater use of public transport.

“Commercial funds raised by the new system will be ringfenced for sustainability initiatives at the airport, including a proposed solar farm, the conversion of our car park and staff shuttle bus fleet from diesel to low emission vehicles and the installation of more electric vehicle charging points.

“A free drop-off and pick up option will continue to be available after the new zones have been introduced at a new dedicated area in the Express Red long-term car park.

“There will be special provisions for people with reduced mobility.”

Planning consultants for daa say that the new scheme will result in more efficient egress and access arrangements at T1 and T2.

Coakley O’Neill Town Planning said the proposals will result in a more co-ordinated, controlled and efficient management of passenger drop-off and pick-up.

However, a Fingal Senator has strongly criticised the plans to place tolls on drop-off zones at Dublin Airport.

Senator Regina Doherty has blasted the plans as ‘nonsensical’.

“What the planners at Fingal County Council have just approved is nonsensical,” she said.

“In short, the proposal is to charge motorists for dropping off and collecting family members and friends at the airport terminals.

“That means that if I’m dropping off my son or daughter at the airport before they jet off for a weekend away, I’ll have to pay for the few seconds it takes them to take their suitcase out of the boot and head into the terminal.

“At a stage, following the pandemic, where more and more people are starting to go abroad again, it’s incredible that the authorities are even considering penalising something like that.

“According to the DAA, who operate Dublin Airport, the new system aims to ‘reduce car journeys to and from the airport.’ They say they want to encourage people to make greater use of public transport. That would be great if our public transport system was adequate.

“Dublin is one of the very few capital cities in Europe with no rail link to its airport.

“We are waiting far too long for MetroLink, and with hints of unacceptable further delays to that critical project, it looks like we’ll be waiting even longer.

“Our bus network is not up to scratch either.

“There are limited services to major towns and cities across the country, and suburban bus routes are inadequate in terms of frequency or capacity for the demand that would be placed upon them.

“I understand that the DAA aims to have this new system up and running by the second half of 2022. There is still time to appeal Fingal County Council’s planning permission, and I will certainly be doing just that.”