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Original poster

Birmingham/Nottingham uni Open Days-where to park? Friday or Saturday best?!

68 replies

fedup21 · 03/06/2019 11:28

DD is looking at visiting both Nottingham and Birmingham University in a couple of weeks-both open days are Friday and Saturday. Birmingham warns that parking will be difficult Confused.

Does anyone know the areas and know where we can park? Would it be better to do Birmingham on the Friday-will the city be busier on Saturday!? Is parking any better at Nottingham!?

Any recommendations for a travel lodge overnight between the two?!

It’s all a bit scary!!

OP posts:
TheFirstOHN · 03/06/2019 23:37

We're planning to visit Nottingham on the last weekend in June. The website says there is free parking at University Campus, then a free shuttle bus to the other campuses if you want to visit those.

We went to Birmingham last summer and parked in the hospital car park, which was a 5 minute walk from the campus. It was about £6 for 5 hours (less expensive than parking at our local hospital).

TheFirstOHN · 03/06/2019 23:44

Those who used the park & ride tram for Nottingham open days; is this because the parking on campus filled up early? We won't be arriving until late morning; I would prefer to park on campus for obvious reasons, but if there is unlikely to be space then we'll park further away and get the tram.

defineme · 03/06/2019 23:45

I did Nottingham, where I live, with my cousin a couple of years ago and parked on campus..you'd be mad to go elsewhere- tons of room. Birmingham is only an hour's drive from Nottingham so dont worry to much about where you stay.

BackforGood · 03/06/2019 23:53

Whilt so many helpful folk are about - anyone any idea about parking at Manchester ?
It suggests (on e-mail) using public transport - but clearly they've not seen the price of train tickets recently

TapasForTwo · 04/06/2019 06:18

I didn't think there would be enough parking on campus TheFirst. Having seen the thousands of cars and the huge fleet of shuttle buses at York at their open day I just assumed that Nottingham would be as popular. So I just played it safe and used the tram.

I was surprised at just how busy open days are.

Citygirl2019 · 04/06/2019 08:00

We went to Nottingham it was very well organised and plenty of parking. We just put the university in the Sat Nav. I'm guessing you are going to university of Nottingham like we did and not Nottingham Trent which is more city centre based.

ifonly4 · 04/06/2019 08:21

Signs for Birmingham uni directed us to the multi storey across the road - it was free parking in the day.

Toddlerteaplease · 04/06/2019 08:23

Public transport in Nottingham is fantastic I couldn't get my head around it having to run for a bus, because another one will be along in a couple of minutes. Loads of buses got to the university. And the Jubilee Campus is an 25 min Watson from town. I live on the road parallel to it.

Comefromaway · 04/06/2019 09:47

Back for Good _ I think they recommend public multi sorey car parks. If the Charles Street one is full you could always go further in and use the Palace theatre one. I've never failed to get a space there (and you can pre-book) and walk or get the bus down Oxford Road.

PantsyMcPantsface · 04/06/2019 13:01

Nottingham seriously - off M1 at junction 25 - head toward Nottingham, first roundabout in along the A52 there's a huge park and ride site there for the tram that I've never known fill up. Takes you straight to the university campus from there and avoids the hell that is Nottingham traffic. Parking on campus, even at weekends can be variable because of so much stuff that goes on on there - my kids have swimming lessons at the uni pool and the parking can be a chuffing pain in the arse even at stupid o clock on a weekend morning!

I'd avoid staying over in Derby at the moment if you're relying on the A52 across into Nottingham, with the sliproad closures around Wyvern the city is a bloody mess traffic-wise.

Oh and the Nottingham trams haven't got conductors so make sure you get a ticket from the machines before you get on - I know lots of city tram networks still do and it catches people out.

BackforGood · 04/06/2019 14:21

Thanks ComefromAway

apologies for hijack everyone Smile

mumsneedwine · 04/06/2019 14:39

Parking on campus at open days is very different to any other time. I say this as a parent of a Notts student (although halls have parking and organise drop off days really well). All the grass area is turned into a massive car park which holds thousands.

Hortz · 04/06/2019 15:38

Nottingham.
You really don't need to faff about with the park and ride, there is acres of parking right in the middle of campus room for many thousands. PantsyMcPantsface on open days they open up the big field in the middle, totally different from a normal weekend.

York is different you can't park on campus and the P&R is a pain. As is Warwick.

TheFirstOHN · 04/06/2019 16:00

you can't park on campus and the P&R is a pain. As is Warwick

We're going to Warwick the weekend before Nottingham...

Hortz · 04/06/2019 16:32

TheFirstOHN York was worse than Warwick. I've done a lot of open days. Sometimes twice when DC2 was looking round.

Warwick's Park and Ride was quite efficient to be fair, it's just that when you've already had a long drive having to park and get on a bus is the last thing you want. Parking on Warwick campus is always difficult though (One DC studied there).

Nottingham was by far the most convenient and Sheffield the worst.
No reflection on any of the unis of course! Grin

Sparklingfairylights · 04/06/2019 16:40

Is there any parking at Warwick or is it P&R all the way?

theyellowjumper · 04/06/2019 20:25

For Birmingham we parked in Longbridge - very easy to get to from the motorways. There are lots of car parks there and it’s easy to get the train from Longbridge to the University.

BackforGood · 04/06/2019 20:46

Not at the moment theyellowjumper

They are building a multi storey car park for commuters at Longbridge, and, whilst it is being built, there isn't any parking at the station.
There is parking by the shops but a 3 hour time limit.

theyellowjumper · 05/06/2019 06:09

We parked near the shops - this says free for 3 hours but you can pay if longer. Is that not the case any more BackfirGood?www.yfwm.org.uk/resources/Longbridge-Car-Parking-Leaflet.pdf

BillywilliamV · 05/06/2019 06:18

If you’re coming off the M1, Clifton South Park and Ride on the A453 is the easiest and cheapest way into Nottingham.

theyellowjumper · 05/06/2019 16:22

Warwick is all P&R on open days. It was fine & well organised, but there was a very long queue for the bus when we left at 4.30ish - probably could have avoided this by planning the day better & leaving by about 3.30/4ish.

Sparklingfairylights · 05/06/2019 16:46

Thank you re Warwick!

TheFirstOHN · 05/06/2019 18:23

Thank you theyellowjumper

BackforGood · 05/06/2019 22:21

Ah - may be theyellowjumper - I don't know anyone who has parked there more than 3 hours, so was just assuming that was the length of time you can stay Grin

stucknoue · 05/06/2019 22:22

There was parking for the university on a school field about a 10 minute walk away a couple of years back, on the left of driving from the city centre on the Bristol rd.