Cologne/Bonn Airport Motorists overlook and damage new gates
Cologne/Bonn · Since Friday morning, motorists have had to collect a ticket and pass through gates in front of the terminals at Cologne/Bonn Airport. By Friday afternoon, five gates had already been damaged.
No more free access to the terminals at Cologne/Bonn Airport. On Friday morning at around 10:15 a.m., a new gate system went into operation to improve traffic flow in front of the terminals. But all did not go smoothly as motorists approached the gates, which can be approached from six lanes. By the afternoon, five drivers had already driven through the gates at the entrance. "I simply didn't notice the barrier," explained one driver, who says he drives passengers to the airport every day.
Airport staff, dressed in reflective clothing, were on hand to monitor the functioning of the new gate system and replaced the damaged gates with new ones after a short time. Airport spokesman Alexander Weise said the experience prompted them to improve gate visibility by applying contrasting foil to them. "We are in the start-up phase, there is certainly still room for improvement," he said. In general, however, he was satisfied with the start: "There was no traffic congestion on the access roads or queues at the entrance.”
The gate barrier system is part of a new traffic concept at the airport. Motorists can now stop directly in front of the terminals for ten minutes free of charge. If they stay in the area for up to 15 minutes longer, they have to pay five euros, or twelve euros for up to 30 minutes - either at one of the new automatic pay stations or directly at the exit.
Goal is to improve traffic flow
The airport erected the gate system to improve traffic flow and safety for all road users. Weise concluded that this had been achieved on the first day. He explained that motorists had often double parked or blocked restricted areas, lanes and escape routes. Another part of the new concept provides long distance buses with access to “Parkhaus 2” (Parking garage 2) so they turn off before the gate system and do not need to use the road passing directly in front of the terminals.
Motorists in front of the terminals showed understanding for the new concept: "You have to get used to it," said a man from Euskirchen who dropped off a friend. "It's not terrible and it's not a disadvantage." Like him, another motorist also felt that the ten-minutes of free parking was not too short: "Actually, that's enough to drop someone off or pick them up," he said and drove off.
"This is good for us, as fewer private cars are driving here now," said taxi driver Mohsen Masrori. For him and his Cologne counterparts, they don’t have to worry about the gate. They are allowed to wait up to two hours for customers in their own holding areas at the terminals. For taxi drivers from surrounding communities and from Bonn, on the other hand, there is a time limit of 15 minutes, in which case they also have to pay five euros for the first quarter of an hour of exceeding the time limit. Claus Lenz, member of the executive board of the Bonn taxi headquarters, was angry about this. "The fees are very hefty", he said in the GA interview.
With additional personnel, the airport intends to continue monitoring the new system in the coming days, Weise explained. Further adaptations or improvements will be carried out as necessary.
(Orig. text: Alexander Hertel, Translation: Carol Kloeppel)
