I thought that the 10 mins free was usually more trouble than it was worth. Especially in T1 where you had to fight your way through parked cars blocking every which way and by the time you had managed to waive up and down the endless rows to get to the barrier, you were in a state of panick coz the 10 minutes was very nearly up!
I hardly think that £1.80 is breaking the bank and you'll find that most people will be quite happy to pay it, providing they only use the facility once or twice a year. For more regular users I can understand, at least on principle, why they would have issues with it.
It has to be said that having worked at the airport for a number of years, I have noticed that the majority of people who complain about charges are the ones that turn up stupidly and unnecessarily early. Meeters turn up in the arrivals hall hours before the flight is due in and then moan about car park charges. Similarly in departures, it is the people that checkin 4 hours before their flight that whine about expensive shops and bars. All airports are expensive places and the more time you spend in them, the more pennies you will spend!
There is a simple solution to avoid the new pick up charges. Check the flight number on Teletext or on the airport website. Aim to arrive 30-45 minutes after the flight has landed (allowing time to taxi, disembark and collect baggage), ask the passengers to call or text you after they've cleared customs and then pick them up from the departures level where hopefully they'll be waiting for you, so you can move on quickly before the traffic wardens get to you. It's a little messy and not ideal but you if really want to avoid paying the £1.80, you can!