Traffic could spill onto residential streets because of the axing of a permit scheme for taxis at Leeds-Bradford Airport, it is being warned.

The Voyager scheme allowed taxi drivers to avoid the so-called ‘kiss and fly’ £2 drop-off charge by paying an annual fee of £35.

But now that scheme is being withdrawn amid warnings that the charge will be passed onto customers. The £2 fee caused a storm of controversy when it was introduced in 2011.

Otley and Yeadon councillor Sandy Lay said: “As councillors we frequently get complaints about vehicles spilling onto residential roads – that is a direct consequence of the £2 charge.”

He argued that withdrawing the Voyager scheme could make that situation worse. He said: “What this means is that local taxi firms will now be ‘passing’ the £2 charge onto their passengers.

“When one considers the poor public transport links already and the increasing congestion in and around the airport, this seems to me that it will encourage local flyers out of the airport out of the taxi and back into their cars.”

A spokesman for the airport said: “The Voyager Scheme which was, until recently, subject to an annual and per-visit fee, is now being discontinued. In its place is a free alternative.

“We have a dedicated free one-hour zone at Leeds-Bradford Airport, which allows all of our users up to 60 minutes’ parking free of charge and all former members of the Voyager Scheme are invited to use it.”