In association with Integrated Transport Planning Ltd, Mott MacDonald carried out a Road User Charging Study for BAA covering all seven BAA airports in the UK. The study aimed to define the potential role, effectiveness and timescale for implementation by BAA of road user charging (RUC).

The project was carried out in two stages, the first being a high-tech review of charging options and the familiarisation with issues at each airport plus any impacts of these on road user charging. This led to the view that there was a case for considering RUC in some form at five of the seven airports
– Heathrow, Stansted, Gatwick, Edinburgh and Glasgow. During stage two various charging schemes were considered for each airport including charging for the whole airport road network, the network immediately around the terminal(s) or the forecourt only and different technology solutions such as cash tolling, electronic toll collection or ANPR.

Overall, conclusions were that airport road user charging could be an effective tool for raising revenue for investment in airport related transport. And in the context of a wider strategy involving a package of measures (funded, at least in part, by the revenue raised), airport road user charging could help reduce road travel demand among some airport user sectors, and contribute to emission reduction. The recommendation was that RUC should be considered further by BAA.