To think prices in car parks in city centres are too expensive now

[UsernameA1B2]

Parked in city centre today and was shocked at the prices.
£1 for 30 minites,
£2 for 1 hour,
£4 for 2 hours,
Isn't that a bit much? And surely it will damage the high street shops and restaurants that will be struggling already enough after pandemic and now the cost of living crisis.

I just went to a meeting in the city centre so I knew I could expense it.

£22 for a day but pre-booked, number plate recognition so you just drive in and out with no faff.

Total dream if you’re not paying yourself.

Another that thinks that's cheap. It's anything from €4-€6 an hour where I live.

£3.40 an hour in Belfast at Victoria square

Yes there's a P & R

Try Cambridge - much more expensive!

£4 will get you an hour in Bristol

We parked in Westfield Shepherds Bush from about 6pm to just gone 11pm last night and it was £8.50 which I thought was extremely reasonable , especially compared with the NCP behind the Brighton centre which is extortionate .

Thanks, I'll look it up.
Petrol is expensive enough with huge parking costs on top.

How much do you think it costs to maintain and administer parking? Councils have had their funding cut to the bone so they can barely run essential services. They can't afford to subsidise free parking for everyone whether or not they need it.

It's £2 for all day at weekends in the West Yorkshire city where I live (in the shopping centre multi storey). It costs me more than double that to go there and back on the bus.

If there are park and ride services then it should be expensive to deter people, even if it makes you think twice about driving into a city centre. Unless you have a disability there’s no reason not to use these purpose built massive car parks for visiting cities.

The city I live near only allows buses and taxis in the majority of it which has been great.

£2 for an hour in the Galleries in Bristol but then it rises quite steeply after that.

I recently paid £6.40 in Bath. Granted it was a long stay car park and I could have stayed 4 hours for that but I only needed an hour but none of the other local car parks were so conveniently located.
I live midway between the two cities and our park park is 40p for 2 hours.

For me I would pay the parking costs, as Ive got older my feet and knees hurt more and more and can limit me quite a lot but Im never going to get a blue badge as its not something I would receive benefits for. I also wouldnt be able to comfortably use park and ride, the queuing and standing would do my joints in, particularly when carrying shopping, I cant really hold things for too long as my arms shake a lot. So I would rather park in a city centre and walk as little as I can around the shops

sounds cheap - and in London don't forget the £11 congestion charge on top

That's bloody cheap!!!!

I visited Blackburn today, parking in their mall was:
Up to 2 hours - £1.90
2 - 4 hours £2.90
Up to 12 hours £5.00

I thought that was excellent value for a big town.

Last time I went to The Arndale in Manchester parking up to 2 hours was £6.70!

That is cheap....I'm in York today ( free parking because I had a blue badg) but 5 hours would have been £16.50

I live in a small town. Parking near my doctor's surgery is £4.35 for an hour, and it's nowhere near the shops.

I'm glad we have a nice shopping mall at Rushden Lakes that is free for 5 hours, Centre MK is quite reasonable, many parking spots at 50p an hour, though it isn't a high street. If we go to Cambridge which is mega expensive we use the P&R and also did this in Norwich and York recently

I'm sure I read recently that M&S were going to have more stores in retail park type places and closing more of the high street stores

I completely agree with this. Parking is expensive in my city but still cheaper than the bus, especially if you have a car full time of people. We have plenty of park and ride places but as I live within the city, I’d have to drive out to use them which is stupid.

YANBU it costs so much just to park in the greatest shopping centre to me that I don't bother going any more, I just buy online.

Nearest. Not greatest.

It was over £14 for about 4 hours at GMEX in Manchester last week.

We no longer shop in Manchester. We go to the Trafford Centre where parking is free.

I don’t support nudge economics like this. It’s not effective because it does nothing to address the barriers to people doing anything other than driving.

it might increase LA or private car park operators’ income, but it doesn’t meaningfully reduce car usage because public transport is not a viable alternative for many people (even if the parking and other motoring costs are very expensive).