NEW parking charges are being implemented at Leeds-Bradford Airport (LBA) from next week.

Details from a briefing were released on Friday, which outlined a shake-up to parking at the airport from Monday, November 4.

The main change impacts the Terminal Front Express - the car park that is closest to the building's entrance.

There are new pricing bands being implemented there, and in the Short Stay car park.

The Terminal Front Express will remain at £3, but for a reduced 10 minute period.

Stays of half-an-hour or more are still priced at £9.

The Short Stay car park charge will increase from £7 to £10 for 60 minutes.

There is also a recirculation charge within one hour at the One Hour Free and Terminal Front Express drop-off zones.

A LBA spokesperson said: "We have had to make these changes to address issues surrounding the operational efficiency of the car parks which resulted in congestion at peak times.

"We have notified passengers of the changes through updated signage at our car parks and on our website.

"LBA, like all airports across the UK, regularly reviews its car parking policy to make sure it remains competitive."

The move has caused outrage among holidaymakers and those who use the airport regularly for business.

One such individual is taxi driver, John Whitehead, whose work almost entirely focuses on airports, including LBA.

The new pricing bands in the Terminal Front Express for stays of more than 10 minutes and less than 30 minutes are of particular concern.

Mr Whitehead feels the barrier and payment systems themselves are the biggest issue for congestion, saying drop-offs often only take a couple of minutes, but cars often have to queue to get out.

He said: "Many times I have seen a car pull up alongside a payment machine and struggle to get the coins in the slots.

"As a result the coins are often dropped but the driver can’t get out of the car to retrieve them.

"They can’t drive forward because the barrier prevents them doing so, they can’t move backwards because of the queue of cars behind them, so they take a long time to clamber over the passenger seat so that they can walk around the car to retrieve the lost coins.

"You can imagine the delay that causes."

While the changes in price may seem minor, for a taxi driver who is regularly using the Terminal Front Express, it all adds us.

He said: "We have complained many times that we should not be charged for dropping customers off - after all, we are taking their custom to them.

"It’s not unreasonable for us to pay a small amount when we are picking people up, as we are often there longer. But their charges are already unreasonable.

"When I pick up a customer to bring them from the airport to Harrogate I charge £28.

"I have already factored in the £3 cost, but if the passengers take too long to get out, usually because they are awaiting baggage, the parking cost goes up to £9 after 30 minutes - nearly a third of the fare - and this has a serious impact on my business."

LBA describe the One Hour Free car park as just a five-minute walk from the terminal.

But Mr Whitehead said: "It is not a short walk for the elderly or infirm, or for people with children and/or luggage.

"Customers don’t want to pay for a taxi to take them to the airport and then have a hard walk to the terminal."

Another feature of the new car park policy is that electric cars can use the Terminal Front Express for free, up to an hour.