Airport scraps free drop-off parking
SuppliedFree drop-off parking at an airport is to be scrapped in favour of a shuttle bus transporting passengers from a waiting zone about a mile away (1.6km).
Newcastle Airport said the facility at Callerton Parkway, next to Callerton Parkway Metro station, would offer free parking for taxis, minibuses and public vehicles for up to 90 minutes.
From 6 January, a free shuttle will travel between the waiting zone and the terminal front entrance, replacing the current 15-minute free drop-off period in the Short Stay 2 car park.
The airport said the service would initially run every 30 minutes and would be accessible.
It is not yet known if its frequency will be increased or how many wheelchair users it could accommodate at the same time.
The airport said it had invested in the waiting area to ensure its car parks and roads in surrounding areas remained safe and accessible.
Dean Ward, director of commercial, said 2026 was set to be the airport's busiest, with a "record six million" passengers expected.
He said the waiting zone would provide the public and taxi drivers with a "free, safe area to wait before picking up passengers".
John Littleton, of Woolsington Parish Council, said the new area would help reduce the number of vehicles parking on residential streets, while Ponteland Mayor Alan Hall said it would help improve traffic flow.
A drive-thru coffee facility is also planned for the site, with construction expected to begin next year.
