£5.20 HEATHROW EXTRA: London taxi drivers get set to begin paying Heathrow Airport drop-off charge
As from tomorrow (Saturday 30 April 2022) London’s black cabs must pay a £5 fee to drop off at all Heathrow Airport terminals.
Following a public consultation, Transport for London (TfL) recently agreed a number of changes to taxi fares and tariffs. Taxi drivers can now add a charge of up to £5.20 to the fare when dropping off passengers in one of the terminal drop-off zones at Heathrow Airport unless their taxi has been registered for a Blue Badge concession.
The Terminal Drop-Off Charge will be managed through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems - similar to those used for the London Congestion Charge and Dart Charge - and will apply to all vehicles using Heathrow’s terminal drop-off facilities. Blue Badge holders will be eligible for a 100% discount. Drivers will have the option to pay the £5 charge in advance, or by midnight the day after making the drop-off. Payments can only be made by card, either online or by an automated telephone service.
Taxi drivers are being urged to set up an autopay facility via Heathrow’s website to ensure payments are paid on time. Non-payment will result in an £80 Parking Charge Notice (PCN), reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days.
TfL reminded drivers yesterday via its weekly email, saying: “Changes to taxi fares and tariffs – as set out in TPH Notice 05/22 – come into effect from Saturday (30 April).
“From this date taxis will be required to pay the Terminal Drop-Off Charge at Heathrow, but can choose to add a charge of up to £5.20 to the fare when dropping off passengers in one of the terminal drop-off zones, unless their taxi has been registered for a Blue Badge concession.”
Last month taxi representatives released a statement REJECTING the idea of customers paying the extra. The United Cabbies Group (UCG) argued that by accepting extra it opens up an unprecedented opportunity for other private ranks and drop offs around the capital to charge similar.
A UCG spokesperson said: “The UCG totally oppose the Heathrow Drop Off fee being added to our meter ‘Extras’, or indeed paid by the drivers.
“If we do not challenge this, be prepared for station charges, road charging etc to follow. We are Publicly Hired and thus should have identical exemptions to buses.”
