London Gatwick Airport Parking

[News Guru]

[textarea]NCP launch Gatwick park and taxi service

NCP, the UK’s largest car park operator, has announced a new Gatwick Airport parking offer. The new ‘park and taxi’ service at the NCP Gatwick Airport Car Park in Crawley offers a combination of a car parking space and a free, private taxi ride to and from the terminal.

Customers will leave their vehicle in a reserved, designated zone in the airport car park and call for their pre-paid private taxi, which will arrive within less than ten minutes. The new service costs from as little as £49.99 for seven days parking and a ten minute transfer journey each way. An NCP spokesman said airport users will save time and money, without the added stress of waiting around for a shuttle bus.

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[Colin4May]

This is an interesting development. I fly fairly regularly from Manchester and now make use of their car parking system whereby the credit/debit card you use to buy your ticket operates the car parking barriers...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcUbF8wLEAM I've used it and it's great.. really hassle-free. I have bad memories of returning from a holiday and being unable to get out of an airport car park because the barrier was mucked up, and the security guard had left the site to go on a break.. at 2am in the morning! :diablo:

I was wondering whether this Manchester Airport system is going to spread to other airports such as Gatwick. As I haven't flown from Gatwick for a while I haven't looked into this, but I expect to be flying from Gatwick in September.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Bristol Airport has used the debit card/credit card recognition system for a number of years. I've used it myself several times using the debit or credit card that was used to pre-book the car parking to both enter and exit the car park. Insertion of the credit/debit card into the barrier machinery raised the barrier - it was simplicity itself and always worked.

However, this year they've abandoned this system and gone over to a number plate recognition camera system that identifies the car registration number inputted when the parking is pre-booked. You have to take a ticket when you enter the car park that raises the barrier. The ticket is loaded with the information that allows you to raise the exit barrier on inserting it into the machinery when you leave at the end of the stay.

During the change-over period it was chaotic and conflicting instructions were given to me. When I came to leave I had to speak to the barrier attendant who somehow manipulated the system to let me out. Recently, I parked there again and the new system worked perfectly when I entered and exited.

I still prefer the credit/debit card system though and don't know why they changed it - a backward step in my view.

 

[Aviador]

I have seen how both systems operate and both suffer problems that probably weren't foreseen originally. The system whereby you book online and use your debit or credit card to enter and exit the car park works alright so long as the customer has read his instructions properly. Unfortunately, more often than not people are in such a rush to get to the airport and park up they forget to read the instructions before entering the car park. This usually leads to the customer inadvertently taking a ticket instead which leads to them getting stuck at the barrier on their return.

The number plate recognition (ANPR) is fine when it's working. Unfortunately the makers of this type of system didn't consider the implications of the sun shining into the camera system used to match the number plates. This kind of system is open to abuse as some people have been known to use reflecting tape on their number plate causing the systems to revert to a default charge. The additional equipment means there's more maintenance required to ensure they're running at top notch all the time.

As far as I am concerned, for the amount of money airports spend on this kind of equipment which is supposed to reduce running costs of parking facilities, I do often wonder if the best thing to do would be to just reopen the old fashioned cabins at the exit barriers to take money and manually open the barriers. It worked every time without the need for expensive technology that seems to break down all the time.

 

[gosimply]

Unfortunately, the sun reflecting off number plates and refelective tape aren't the only thing that can cause problems with the automated number plate recognition systems. You would be surprised at how many cars get stuck at the barrier as their number plates are almost unreadable through grime, mud and dirt.

I guess that when they design these systems, they don't always take into account all of the things that could potentially trip up the process.

 

[Aviador]

Unfortunately, the sun reflecting off number plates and refelective tape aren't the only thing that can cause problems with the automated number plate recognition systems. You would be surprised at how many cars get stuck at the barrier as their number plates are almost unreadable through grime, mud and dirt.

I guess that when they design these systems, they don't always take into account all of the things that could potentially trip up the process.

You're not wrong there and if it's not the grime and mud through the summer months it's the grit and salt through the winter. I bet they never mentioned that in the brochure.

 

[flypark]

This highlights the importance of printing your booking confirmation and taking it with you, technology is great when its working and no doubt speeds up the parking process, but you should always have printed proof of your booking.

Sometimes when the numberplate is not recognised or the credit/debit card is not recognised customers take a ticket from the barrier which can result in being charged twice.

 

[flypark]

A woman has been ordered to pay just short of £4000 in fines after running a Gatwick airport parking facility without planning permission. Airport Direct was run by Millie Stojanovic on her own land at Burstow.

Mrs Stojanovic was issued with an enforcement notice in 2004 explaining the implications of using her land for any other use than domestic parking. However in 2010 a complaint was lodged with the council over excessive cars being on her property another complaint was lodged in July 2010.

When the Council officers arrived at Church Lane, Burstow they found approx 50 cars parked on Mrs Stojanovic’s land. She was ordered to pay a fine of £3,300 and costs of £995.

The story highlights how there are still illegitimate airport parking operators and you should always book your airport parking with a trusted and reputable airport parking provider.

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[Lensmeister]

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend where to park for free locally as I am taking the kids to the airport in the morning (Mon 05/08/2013). Looking in the Charlwood Road/Gatwick Road areas as they want to take a few photos.

I am thinking of parking opposite the Flight Tavern. Can I walk through the car park to the south Perimeter Road ?

Thanks for the help