Perth Airport’s new express pick-up and drop-off zone comes into effect Monday, with fines soon to be issued to those who loiter for more than six minutes.
Drivers will be given five weeks to get used to the changes at Terminals 3 and 4 before being charged a minimum of $7 for overstaying the new time limit.
The changes were announced in 2022 and aimed to reduce congestion to the area and the surrounding roads, according to Perth Airport’s Chief Commercial Aviation Officer Kate Holsgrove, who said in the past too many people were using the express area as a “de facto carpark”.
“The Express system was introduced at T2 in 2019 and reduced the rate of overstays by 70 per cent which has significantly improved traffic flow to that terminal – we are hoping to see the same results at T3 (and) T4,” she said.
“Over the past 20 months we’ve also undergone significant construction works in the area to deliver more pick-up (and) drop-off bays and new signage to better direct motorists to empty bays further along the forecourt.”
It will now cost drivers $7 for a 10-minute trip through the express zone, $13 for those who stay 10-15 minutes and $31 for drivers who spend 30 minutes inside the express zone. From then it will cost $1 for each additional minute.
The time limit is one minute longer than the express zone at Terminal 2 due to the length of the circuit and fees will be charged directly to drivers who exit the area via new boom gates.
While the new system gives motorists just six minutes to make their way through the express zone, the airport’s long-term carparks will continue to offer one-hour free parking.
A media statement from Perth Airport said the new system is expected to prevent drivers from “gaming the system” by circling the area until their passengers arrive at the zone.
In addition to the recent works, the airport now boasts an extra 216 undercover bays, a new premium car park entry and exit and a new short-term car park with 533 bays.