Driver fined for parking on M56 hard shoulder to avoid paying Manchester Airport’s parking charges

A driver has been slapped with a hefty fine after parking on the hard shoulder of the M56 while waiting to pick up family members from Manchester Airport.

The North West Motorway Police spotted a black Vauxhaull Corsa parked up on the hard shoulder of the M56 Airport Spur on the morning of June 18th. 

There, officers discovered that the driver was, in fact, waiting to pick up family members from the airport, and he was subsequently handed a Traffic Offence Report. 

NW Motorway Police

These offences carry fines between £100 and £300 and can result in between three and six penalty points being added to your driving licence. 

In a Facebook post, NW Motorway Police wrote: “ME41 stopped with a vehicle parked on hard shoulder of M56 Airport Spur waiting to collect relatives from airport. TOR issued.”

However, this isn’t the first time drivers have been caught out trying to dodge those airport parking fees.

In January this year, NW Motorway Police came across a vehicle pulling the same stunt and, back in 2019, Greater Manchester Police seized an Audi after the driver was found waiting for family members to land with no insurance and illegal registration plates. 

GMP wrote on Twitter: “Audi S3 was stopped on the hard shoulder of the Airport Spur. Driver wanted to avoid parking charges, collecting family. Spoken to by #ME54 who also noticed his illegal plates & checks revealed he also had no insurance! Vehicle seized.”

As it stands, it costs £6 for thirty minutes parking in Manchester Airport – the cost goes up to £12 for an hour, £15 for two hours, and £20 for four hours, according to its website.