The cost of secure parking at Dubbo City Regional Airport could soon be increased by up to 50 per cent.
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A proposal to increase the parking fees in the next financial year, as well as a rise in the passenger fees, will go before Dubbo Regional Council on Monday night.
Currently it costs $10 per day to leave a vehicle in the secure parking spots at the airport and $60 per week. Under the new proposal, which was given a green light from the Dubbo Regional Airports Committee, secure parking will be increased to $15 per day and $90 for the week.
A 2.5 per cent increase to the passenger fees for 2018/19 has been proposed.
In a report on the airport committee, council’s director economic development and business Natasha Comber said Regional Express, QantasLink, Pelican Air and Jetgo transported 217,518 people in 2016/17.
“There was no increase to passenger fees for 2016/17 in acknowledgement of the airlines support of the extensive capital works council was to be undertaking during this financial year,” she said.
If it goes ahead, the passenger fees would rise from $14.55 to $14.90 per arriving and departing passenger for the 75,000 passengers. It then drops to $7.45 per arriving and departing passengers for each person after the first 75,000.
The passenger charges would still be less than the airports at Tamworth ($16.85), Orange ($16.20) and Albury ($14.70).
In a separate report, Ms Coombes said $320,000 should be added to draft four year budget for capital works at Bodangora Landing Area in Wellington.
Ms Coombes said the operational expense to council for the facility was between $45,000 and $50,000, however the cost was not being recovered through landing fees.
“Consideration needs to be given on the appropriate level of expenditure council should undertake to continue operating this facility at a level to minimise corporate exposure,” she said.
“Additional consideration needs to be given to the introduction of a landing fee or member fee to use groups to provide some level of cost recovery.”
Users of the facility needed to be consulted about landing or membership fees, Ms Coombes said. She said council also needed to gain a better understanding of user groups’ expectations, as well as seeking input from them on the possible capital works program and how it could be funded.