Stansted airport parking charges soar

Stansted Express commuters have called for car park season tickets to be made available after charges were raised to more than £7,500 a year.

The cost of parking at Stansted airport's short-stay car park for longer than nine hours shot up by 50 per cent last week to £29.50 a day - more than an open return ticket to Liverpool Street.

Lorna Pettigrew, who lives five miles from the airport, has commuted from Stansted for 10 years. She now travels an extra 10 miles a day to reach a cheaper parking space.

The occupational health nurse was surprised when she was first asked to pay the increased fee: "I thought there had been some mistake as I'd had no warning that the charges were going up. That amount of money seems to be pure greed."

Sir Alan Haselhurst, MP for Saffron Walden, said: "I do think there should be a season ticket scheme and that the daily prices are too high for people in the local community."

An airport spokesman said that the option of an annual season ticket was being considered but added: "It is important to ensure there is space for those picking up passengers from the airport."

Stansted's new managing director, Nick Barton, said this month his aim was "to rebuild the airport's relationship with its community" after plans to expand the site were shelved.