Stop BAA taxing elderly, disabled and families at Edinburgh Airport

I am not best pleased that BAA have decided to charge £1 for access to a drop-off area close to the terminal at Edinburgh Airport.

They try to say that there will be a free drop-off area at the long stay car park and people can get a bus to the airport.

Oh well, that's fine then.

Or at least it's fine if you're young, fit, male and flying without young children.

If you're disabled you might be able to struggle to get a bus in the Summer, assuming that they provide wheelchair accessible buses but what if you have to wait for ages in the cold and dark in the Winter?

Ditto if you're elderly.

If you're female, you may not want to stand potentially alone on a dark Winter's morning for safety reasons.

If you have young children, even if there are two of you, managing a toddler and a baby, plus car seat and buggy out of the car that drops you off and on to a bus is going to be a nightmare.

So it's those groups who will be paying the charge.

Your affluent professional worker travelling alone will be able to avoid this tax with ease.

That's why BAA's decision to make a fast buck out of people by imposing this charge is completely and utterly wrong. I'm glad to see that Edinburgh West Liberal Democrat MP Mike Crockart and MSP Margaret Smith are campaigning against it.

If you agree with them, please join me in signing their petition here.