Revenue raised through strict fines issued as a result of ‘no stop zones’ at Belfast City Airport are going to good causes through a community fund, it has emerged.
The airport has introduced fines for vehicles that drop passengers off or pick people up outside of a designated zone where drivers are charged £3 for the first 10 minutes.
Around 60 signs are visible in the grounds of the airport warning of a potential £100 fine, and the airport has said the penalties were brought in as motorists continually ignored ‘no stop’ rules and were presenting a “real hazard” to other drivers and pedestrians.
Cameras track vehicles as they move through the airport, and penalties will be issued to those who stop through an outside company, Vehicle Control Services Ltd, who identify owners through their registration number.
The penalty notices can include stills from CCTV footage of the vehicle breaching the rules.
Outside of the designated stop area, drivers can avail of 10 minutes free parking at the airport’s long-stay car park.
Fines of £100 are issued for drivers who breach the no-stop rule, but are reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.
However, failure to pay within 28 days can incur an extra £70 fee.
One driver hit with a fine told the Irish News how he is appealing the penalty after he briefly stopped outside the terminal to let out his wife who was feeling sick, before returning a hire car and boarding a flight.
In an email, the airport directed the appeal to Vehicle Control Services Ltd, but said “any revenues generated from these charges, beyond cost covering, are invested in the airport’s Community Fund, which provides financial support for local community groups and organisations”.
The Belfast City Airport Community Fund was established in 2009, and according to the air hub’s website, has donated over £651,000 to “local projects”.
“Our Community Fund helps schools, sports teams, community centre, choirs, educational campaigns, and exciting event programmes thrive,” it states.
Recent projects to benefit from the fund include a “forest school space” for Kings Road Nursery School in east Belfast, while in 2019 the fund helped finance a new van for a food bank in Bangor, Co Down.
In a statement to the Irish News, the airport’s chief people and marketing officer Michelle Hatfield said the fund “has played a significant role in supporting projects that create prosperity and enrich the lives of those around us”.
She added: “We believe in a being a good neighbour and are committed to making a difference by providing financial assistance to those that align with our vision for a sustainable future, enabling us thrive as a community together.”
