Drivers will be charged to drop off passengers at Dublin Airport under new plans.
The proposed new zones will operate in front of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 and a new “reduced fee” 30-minute period will also be introduced at the short-term car parks.
However, one staff member at Dublin Airport said that these plans will be hard to enforce.
They added: “For drivers using taxi apps this will be awful.
“They’re not supposed to be there but we all know they come in anyways because some days the actual taxi line is long and passengers just want to get home as quickly as possible so use the apps, the work is there for them.
“I imagine they’ll just charge passengers the toll on top of the fare and come in that way, especially if the toll lanes are automated.
“It’s hard to deal with them because we’re already watching everything else that’s going on in front of the terminals, there will need to be people put in charge of watching it.”
The planning application has been lodged with Fingal County Council for the new
infrastructure.
A spokeswoman for the DAA said: “The aim of the proposed new drop off and pick up
zone system is to reduce the number of car journeys to and from the airport and to encourage passengers to make greater use of public transport.
“DAA has lodged a planning application with FCC for the required infrastructure to introduce the new system, which includes changes to the internal campus road network, new exit lanes and new barriers on the main exit road at Dublin Airport.
“It will be more efficient to complete the construction work during the current downturn in passenger numbers, as it will have significantly less disruption on the airport road network.
“Currently, private cars are permitted to drop off in front of both terminals, however, no private vehicle pick up is permitted in these locations.
“The current system has been abused by some for several years, with cars illegally stopping to wait for pick-ups or circling the campus roads several times before they finally collect their party.”
Questions were raised online about what will happen to people with a disability.
One Twitter user said: “Dublin Airport to stop cars picking passengers up outside terminals, so what do you do if you have a disability?”
Dublin Airport replied: “There will be a provision for persons with reduced mobility.”
