Overhaul of airport parking charges delayed

Currently people have an hour's free parking at the island's airport

A reduction in free parking at the Isle of Man's airport has been delayed for six weeks.

The overhaul of charges had been due to come into force on 1 May.

They included a reduction in free disc parking from an hour to 15 minutes and a raft of increases to short and long stay parking charges.

Infrastructure Minister Chris Thomas said the changes had been delayed following public "feedback".

A statutory notice outlining the changes, which would also see the maximum charge for parking in the short stay car park rise from £60 to £299, was published at the start of April.

At the time the Department of Infrastructure said the changes would be part of a 12-month trial.

Mr Thomas said there had been many "positive suggestions received" since the notice was published, which the department "welcomed".

“For instance, half an hour was suggested by many, many people as being a reasonable compromise, and we’re a listening department,” he said.

A second amended parking order would be issued with a statutory notice period of at least 14 days ahead of any charges, he added.

Public consultation

Mr Thomas told Tynwald the proposed reduction in free parking would raise more money for reinvestment in the airport’s operations and infrastructure.

The changes to charges would increase the revenue raised through parking to £350,000 over a six-month period, up from £287,500 between October 2022 and March 2023, he said.

Parking arrangements at the Sea Terminal in Douglas, the airport and other government-owned parking places would be “be considered more generally in a public consultation that will be coming in coming months “, Mr Thomas added.

The new charges will now come into force on 13 June, following the Isle of Man TT races.