Taxi Driver Online

So for a long time Taxis and PH have been picking up from the drop off zone at Edinburgh Airport. Then a few weeks ago the security guys started handing out letters and giving verbal threats that if caught doing it again the driver would face a £30 charge each time they go through the drop off. Read about it here http://www.edinburghairport.com/pages/taxideclaration
Its based on a Bylaw which according to the airport website was recently updated to allow this.
The bylaw itself does not mention £30. Previously people found breaking the bylaw were taken to court to face penalties, but now your registration plate is put on a computer database and you are charged £30 every time you go through the £1 drop off.
I didn't think they were serious but a mate of mine had waited over an hour for his passenger to call to say they were at pickup point so he decided to drive through the £1 drop off to see if he could see them. He didn't even stop but at the barrier they wanted £30 saying they thought he was touting for business. He argued with them until they raised the barrier.
Surely can't be legal to stop people leaving unless they cough up the £30 charge ??

"The designated area for non-authorised taxis/PHCs to load pre-booked passengers is the Pick-Up Zone."


That is very unclear...does that also mean that the entire surface parking area is also a "non Authorised" area or does it only refer to the drop off zone.?

Airports these days are driven by greed and not by any sense of fair play or justice.

REALLY FOOK ME YOUR QUICK OFF THE MARK

so what you doing about it

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The Airport did not show it's Bylaws Section 8 article 1 in full...in full it reads:

8. TAXIS AND PRIVATE HIRE CARS
8(1) Ply for hire
No person shall cause or permit a Taxi to ply for
hire or load passengers unless:-
(a)
he is authorised to do so by the Airport
Company; and
(b)
he does so from an Authorised Standing
provided that it shall not be an offence to load
passengers in a public car park, at a designated
pick-up point or, with the consent of a Constable
or an Airport Official, at any distance from such
Authorised Standings.

And also:

3(27) Private hire vehicles
No person shall cause or permit a Private Hire Car
except a Private Hire Car authorised by the Airport
Company to enter the Airport for the purpose of
loading passengers. It is not an offence for pre-
booked Private Hire Cars to load passengers at a
public car park or at the designated pick-up point or
other area so designated by the Airport Company

It would seem the other airport surface and multi story parking is fine to use to pick up from...just not the Drop off Zone.

The pick up zones £4 , drop off £1 if your 5 mins. They tried to hold a driver and charge £30 but after 20 mins and police being called ,airport were told they couldn't detain the driver , if you get to barrier and they charge £30 refuse and tell them to call police, happened to me recently, took pick up from drop off got to barrier £30 charge, pressed buzzer and was told to put £1 in. I think the law has told the airport you can't hold drivers but can use any video evidence etc to take it to court. Wonder if that would get past the PF.

Trouble is that minutes is bare adequate time to drop off within, the Traffic in the drop off can be so congested at times that it fails to allow the time to drop off, get the luggage unloaded, draw back into the traffic stream because everybody is feart they over stay their 5 minutes that they won't let you out. and then the you get the muppet who never has enogh change on them that they end up blocking the barriers for 5 minutes.

If you go over five minutes the exit fee should be only as advertised, it jumps up to the next tarriff level for 5 to 15 minutes..instead they get greedy and demand £30.00.

Talk about rip off Britain!..it's alive and well at every Airport in the UK.