Free parking for Manchester airport

Passengers dodging car parking fees at Manchester Airport.

Manchester Airport is installing spy cameras in its car parks after a surge in drivers that are avoiding paying parking fees.The cameras, which check number plates, are being introduced after an increase in people cheating the system.

A spot check spotted 27 drivers in just one hour ‘tailgating' behind other vehicles to get under the barrier.Some passengers are leaving their vehicles for up to a fortnight while they go on holiday then sneaking out to avoid the £27 a day Airport Parking fee.

Airport chiefs have stated that they are losing thousands of  pounds in lost revenues so have decided to join forces with the agency Parking Eye, who will enforce the new strategies next month.

The automatic number plate recognition cameras  will record the details of every car going in and out of the car park and will be paid for by Parking Eye.Drivers caught avoiding payment will be sent notices of £90 fines, which will escalate to  £120 if not paid within 18 days, but be reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.

Anyone  who still refuses to pay will be summonsed by the courts.Revenue from the scheme will be given to Parking Eye but Manchester Airport will  be reimbursed with ticket revenue and  hopes to  make more money in parking fee.

A spokesman for the airport said that the new measures were aimed only at those trying to avoid the parking fees and the cameras would allow them to spot the cheats. 

Privacy campaigners have already questioned the new plans, stating that Manchester Airport now has the most "intrusive" surveillance in the UK, and that the cameras should not be installed.

Alex Deane, from privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: “Manchaester Airport is now the most intrusive surveillance area in the country. These cameras are completely disproportionate and should not be installed.

For cheaper Manchester airport parking always pre-book and consider using an off airport car park where parking fees are substantially cheaper.