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Parking

Published: 17/03/2008 - Filed under: Archive » 2008 » April 2008 » Guide to T5 »

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Guide to T5: Parking

BAA has had to do a bit of shuffling around to get maximum use of the prime land around Terminal 5. There are 7,500 new spaces at Heathrow including a business traveller car park, a short-stay car park and two long-stay car parks.

BUSINESS TRAVELLER CAR PARK

The 1,200 spaces in the business car park are the closest to the terminal. Currently a three-minute courtesy bus ride away, it is here that the Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system will be trialled. Hugh Fenn, travel services director for BAA, says: “You park your car and then go to one of two ‘stations’ in the car park and press a button, wait for 20 seconds and it [a pod] will whisk you straight to the terminal.”

The system is the first one in the world to be used in a public space and will be ready next year, with the pods trialling from this summer. Eventually, Fenn says, it may be available at all airport car parks. But what is to stop a leisure traveller using the business park? “Nothing really,” says Fenn, “but it is more expensive than the long-term car parks, which are further away.”

SHORT-STAY CAR PARK

The brand-new addition is the multi-storey car park, with 3,900 spaces. Within walking distance of the terminal, it has revamped technology to help you find your car. When you take your ticket from the machine at the barrier, your number plate is read and connected to your ticket.

Cameras then register where you park, so that when you return and put your ticket in the machine, it will show a 3D map of the car park displaying the section where your car is parked. Fenn says: “The automatic number-plate reader is an added security, as you have to have the ticket to match the car you are driving or the barrier won’t lift.” The car park will also tell you where there are spaces, with lights guiding you to a free bay.

LONG-STAY CAR PARK

Further out (although on BAA land within the perimeter), and so less expensive, this is served by courtesy buses every ten minutes, with a journey time of 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can use the Long-Stay Plus service, where you drive up to the reception area and they will park it for you.

VALET PARKING AT HEATHROW

At the entrance to T5, on the top level of the multi-storey car park.

For prices and to save money, book online at baa.com (go to the Heathrow parking section), or call +44 (0)870 850 2825
(within the UK) or +44 (0)121 410 5105 (outside UK).

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