UK airport car parking management

Abstract

Many international airports are operating close to capacity. Given the projected long-term growth in air traffic of between three and four per cent per annum, this problem is likely to intensify. This growth has serious implications not simply in terms of the demand for additional runway and terminal capacity but also on airport surface access capacity and its related congestion, environmental and social degradation. The dominant mode of transport to airports is the private car, typically accounting for as much as 65 per cent of all journeys made. This is as much an issue in terms of airport employees as it is passengers. The aim of this paper is to consider the issues faced by airport managers with respect to car parking management, both with respect to passengers and employees, and its policy implications. It is based on interviews with a number of key decision makers in terms of airport surface access in the UK. The paper also draws on previous work undertaken by the authors and a review of the literature. Although the study is of UK airports, many of the experiences provide a basis for transferability to airport surface access worldwide.