EVERY MSP in the Lothians opposes Edinburgh airport's controversial passenger drop-off plans, a Scotsman poll reveals today.
The unanimous response comes from the politicians who represent 60 per cent of passengers at the airport and many of its staff. The resounding "No" to the proposed fee from October also covers six political groupings in the Scottish Parliament, refle
cting unease with the scheme across a wide spectrum of opinion.
The 16 MSPs — nine constituency and seven on the regional list — include two members who have launched petitions against the charge, which have attracted some 5,000 signatures to date.
The parliamentarians' views are expected to pile further pressure on Kevin Brown, the airport's new managing director, who takes over on Monday.
He joins from a similar post at Aberdeen airport, and replaces Gordon Dewar, who left yesterday to run Bahrain airport in the Middle East. Mr Brown scrapped a proposed £1 taxi charge at Aberdeen airport two years ago, but he has said the issue was "entirely different" from Edinburgh's plans.
Edinburgh airport said its charge was required to pay for upgrading and expanding the terminal drop-off zone, and a free alternative would be provided at the long-stay car park, linked to the terminal by free shuttle buses every few minutes.
The MSPs' responses to the Scotsman poll ranged from disbelief that the charge was being introduced to anger that it was being dressed up by the BAA-owned airport as a green tax.
Some feared the £1 fee would be increased once introduced, while others said the scheme was wrong in principle.
Edinburgh South Liberal Democrat Mike Pringle said: "This is a daft idea.
Even senior staff at the airport are against. So my advice is, give it up now."
Fellow Lib Dem Margaret Smith, whose Edinburgh West constituency covers the airport, said: "I have raised my concerns about the proposed charges with management at the airport."
Edinburgh North and Leith Labour Malcolm Chisholm MSP said: "This is not going to improve things for passengers. It's just a way of making money."
Edinburgh Pentlands Conservative MSP David McLetchie also confirmed he was against the drop-off fee.
Outside the capital, opposition was equally vehement. Linlithgow Labour MSP Mary Mulligan said: "I am very supportive of people being encouraged to use alternative transport to the car. However, this is not the way to do it."
Fellow Labour member Rhona Brankin, who represents Midlothian, said: "I am all in favour of airport users being encouraged to use public transport, but this charge seems to be an imposition for people who are being dropped off in less than a minute."
Livingston SNP MSP Angela Constance said: "I do not support the introduction of a £1 drop-off charge. What next — a charge for the air that we breathe?"
The views were similar among the region's list MSPs.
