General Atomics

Manchester Airport removing pick-up and drop-off zone barriers

Barriers at the exits to Manchester Airport’s pick-up and drop-off zones will be removed from next week, between Wednesday 26th March and Wednesday 2nd April.



Image by Bylan Reay / courtesy MAG

 
Barriers at the exits to Manchester Airport’s pick-up and drop-off zones will be removed from next week, between Wednesday 26th March and Wednesday 2nd April.

The switch to a new barrierless drop-off and pick-up system will improve the overall experience for both drivers and passengers by streamlining the process. By removing the existing barriers, drivers will pass through more smoothly without the need to stop on exit, helping reduce congestion and helping people avoid increased charges as a result of having to wait to leave the zones.
The new technology will be managed through an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system like that already in use at some other UK airports and familiar settings like bridges and tunnels.

Cameras will identify cars by their registration number and automatically record who has used the pick-up or drop-off zone. Rather than stopping at a barrier and paying as they leave the area, drivers will leave and then pay the charge by midnight the following day. They can do this online or over the phone.

The barrierless system will be in place at the pick-up and drop-off zones in all three of the airport’s terminals as well as it the train, tram and bus station.

The new system will go live in a phased approach at each location between 26 March and 2 April. Signs on approach to each zone will advise people of the steps they need to take.

There will be no change to the existing charges. No payments will be made when exiting the zones.

Once a driver has used a zone they will have until midnight the next day to pay. Frequent users, including taxi drivers, will be able to set up an auto-pay account.

Related

The UK wants sovereign drones, but who makes the batteries?
Woman in Camouflage Uniform Working installing batteries on Next Generation Drone.
The UK wants sovereign drones, but who makes the batteries?
The UK is putting more than £5 billion into drones and autonomous systems, with UK industry expected to benefit. But building a drone in the UK is not the same as controlling the supply chain inside it. Volklec CCO Johan Andersson tells ADS Advance why battery cells could become one of the hardest dependencies to break.
Aerospace Defence Focus Insights ...

22 Aug 2026

TT Electronics deepens aerospace and defence ties with Rolls-Royce and MBDA Italia
TT Electronics expands partership with Rolls-Royce
TT Electronics deepens aerospace and defence ties with Rolls-Royce and MBDA Italia
A lifetime Rolls-Royce agreement and a new Letter of Intent with MBDA Italia are putting TT Electronics deeper into the systems that power civil aircraft and defence platforms.
Luton Airport becomes first UK airport to install emergency anaphylaxis kits
Luton Airport rolls out life-saving Allergy Kitts
Luton Airport becomes first UK airport to install emergency anaphylaxis kits
The rollout places anaphylaxis treatment points in key passenger areas, including security, departures and baggage reclaim.
Aerospace

21 Aug 2026

The UK wants sovereign drones, but who makes the batteries?
Woman in Camouflage Uniform Working installing batteries on Next Generation Drone.
The UK wants sovereign drones, but who makes the batteries?
The UK is putting more than £5 billion into drones and autonomous systems, with UK industry expected to benefit. But building a drone in the UK is not the same as controlling the supply chain inside it. Volklec CCO Johan Andersson tells ADS Advance why battery cells could become one of the hardest dependencies to break.
Aerospace Defence Focus Insights ...

22 Aug 2026

TT Electronics deepens aerospace and defence ties with Rolls-Royce and MBDA Italia
TT Electronics expands partership with Rolls-Royce
TT Electronics deepens aerospace and defence ties with Rolls-Royce and MBDA Italia
A lifetime Rolls-Royce agreement and a new Letter of Intent with MBDA Italia are putting TT Electronics deeper into the systems that power civil aircraft and defence platforms.
UK MoD interest could see Vertical’s hybrid defence aircraft in service before Valo
Vertical aerospace vx4 Transition Test Flight
UK MoD interest could see Vertical’s hybrid defence aircraft in service before Valo
Vertical Aerospace could reverse its development order and deliver a hybrid military aircraft before the electric Valo if defence demand intensifies.
Aerospace Defence

21 Aug 2026

Austrian ENPULSION moves to acquire UK space propulsion specialist Lift Me Off
Enpulsion space propulsion manufacturer buys UK company lift me off
Austrian ENPULSION moves to acquire UK space propulsion specialist Lift Me Off
Austrian spacecraft propulsion manufacturer ENPULSION has agreed to acquire British specialist Lift Me Off, bringing together electric and chemical propulsion capabilities in a deal that will require UK Government approval.
Member News Space

21 Aug 2026

Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone gains £300m investment as Dell establishes Scottish base
Lanarkshire’s AI Innovation Park
Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone gains £300m investment as Dell establishes Scottish base
A £202 million guarantee from the UK National Wealth Fund has attracted an investment of £300 million in Lanarkshire's AI Growth Zone, which with Dell Technologies establishing a base there too, is set to support over 3,400 skilled jobs.
UK satellite funding targets connectivity ‘not-spots’ for farmers and remote railways
Young farmer works with a digital tablet in a wheat field, smart farm and quality control
UK satellite funding targets connectivity ‘not-spots’ for farmers and remote railways
British farmers and passengers travelling through remote parts of Scotland could gain better connectivity through a new £13 million package backing 16 UK satellite communications projects.
Space

18 Aug 2026

UK defence jobs jump by 26,000 as MoD spending supports 274,000 workers
UK defence jobs jump by 26,000 as MoD spending supports 274,000 workers
Ministry of Defence spending with UK industry now supports one in every 100 jobs, according to new figures.
Defence Security

21 Aug 2026

Darktrace among first cybersecurity firms selected to integrate risk signals into Microsoft Agent 365
Using laptop and mobile phone
Darktrace among first cybersecurity firms selected to integrate risk signals into Microsoft Agent 365
The integration will bring Darktrace's behavioural risk signals into Microsoft Agent 365, enabling customers to view organisation-specific insights alongside Microsoft signals in a single interface.
Security

20 Aug 2026

Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone gains £300m investment as Dell establishes Scottish base
Lanarkshire’s AI Innovation Park
Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone gains £300m investment as Dell establishes Scottish base
A £202 million guarantee from the UK National Wealth Fund has attracted an investment of £300 million in Lanarkshire's AI Growth Zone, which with Dell Technologies establishing a base there too, is set to support over 3,400 skilled jobs.