News Release (28/04/10)
New contract will enhance transport options for airport passengers
Bristol Airport has agreed a five year deal with taxi provider Checker Cars which will provide an improved service to passengers.
Checker Cars is the leading airport taxi operator in the UK, with 1,000 drivers across airports including Gatwick and Stansted. The new contract with Bristol Airport secures the delivery of a new fleet of vehicles and a range of new services, as well as introducing a new code of conduct for drivers.
An improved fleet of vehicles will be introduced over the next 12 months, incorporating the latest low emissions technology and a ‘start-stop’ system to reduce fuel consumption. The vehicles will be sourced from and serviced by a local supplier, Winford Ford, located just three miles from Bristol Airport.
The new fleet will include executive vehicles for passengers preferring a premium service. Minibuses will also be available for passengers with shared destinations, delivering economies to customers, lowering emissions and helping to reduce traffic to and from the Airport.
Other innovations include the introduction of an e-ticket machine in the arrivals concourse to eradicate queuing in the taxi office during busy periods.
Under the terms of the new agreement, all drivers will sign up to a code of conduct covering customer service, driving standards and consideration for local communities around Bristol Airport. This will involve avoiding Barrow Gurney if taking an alternative route will not significantly impact on a passenger’s journey time, and ensuring the 20mph speed limit through the village is adhered to when this route is used.
Ian Hiles, General Manager (Ground Transportation) at Bristol Airport, said:
“This new agreement will deliver improvements to passengers and to local communities around the airport. It increases customer choice and will improve the process by which arriving passengers can book a taxi for their onward journey from Bristol Airport.
“Alongside the recently agreed improvements to the Flyer bus service, this enhanced taxi service forms part of a greatly improved transport offer to passengers.”
Twelve new buses, each costing £180,000, are on order as part of improvements to the Bristol Airport Flyer service. The new fleet will replace the nine coaches currently operating the service which links the airport to Bristol Temple Meads, Marlborough Street Bus Station and other city centre locations.
The new Volvo vehicles, supplied by Wright Bus of Belfast (which also provides buses to Transport for London), will be wheelchair accessible and passengers will be able to take their luggage on board with them, providing peace of mind and speeding up the boarding process.
Each bus will feature leather seats and wood effect flooring, as well as free Wi-Fi access and power points to charge phones and laptops. The new vehicles will also deliver improvements in fuel efficiency and emissions reductions as they are compliant with Euro 5 standards and run on AdBlue, which reduces emissions of oxides of nitrogen.
Last month Bristol Airport marked the tenth anniversary of its terminal building by unveiling a new brand identity to guide its business over the next decade. The new brand represents ‘people’, ‘place’ and ‘region’ – the three pillars on which the airport’s success rests – and promises ‘Amazing Journeys Start Here’.
The airport celebrates its 80th anniversary in May, and the terminal is expected to handle its 50 millionth passenger towards the end of the year.
A number of significant improvements to the airport will also be officially opened over the coming months. These include a 450m long walkway linking the terminal to aircraft stands on the western apron. The walkway will reduce the need for buses to transfer passengers between the terminal building and arriving and departing planes.
A state-of-the-art ‘walk through’ tax and duty free store will also open in the spring, with regional products showcased in a ‘Best of the West’ range.