London is one of the busiest cities in the United Kingdom, with residents, the UK workforce, tourists, solo travellers, families, and dignitaries from all over the world passing through. Like most people in the UK, residents in and around London also prefer to drive to the city and return home towards the end of the working day. Finding your way around the capital city is effortless until it comes to parking the vehicle securely.
Once you’re in the heart of the city, with the M25 surrounding, you would need to start considering parking options. Since most public parking in London has astronomical fees and charges, the best way to find excellent parking is with YourParkingSpace. The parking spaces are affordable, safe, and easy to book from the convenience of your mobile phone. Finding parking spaces with YourParkingSpace has helped ease the strain on motorists and drivers and has helped reduce anxiety, stress, anger, and tension.
Most drivers in the UK face tremendous stress over finding parking spaces and sometimes overspeed to reach their destination in time. Over speeding on highways and within city limits causes accidents that may become fatal. It is best to ensure that you book a secure and safe parking space for the duration that you need. YourParkingSpace also offers hourly, daily, and monthly car parking rentals at affordable prices.
Let us look at some of the best ways to park in London.
On-street Parking:
The parking prices (according to the meter) vary significantly in London. This usually depends on the area or location of parking. If you plan to drive through London and are looking for a place to park at reasonable rates, it is best to pre-book a parking space online and park in a private location that does not incur any additional fees or charges.
Parking by the meter in places like Hyde Park or Soho could be as high as £4.90 per hour, while in Regents Park, it could be £2.50 per hour (since it is not very centrally located). In London, each borough has its own terms and conditions. For example, in Holborn and Covent Garden (London Borough of Camden), the max stay is 2 hours at £0.40 per 5 minutes. Therefore, it is better to browse through the map on the YourParkingSpace website and book a more economical and convenient parking spot.
Off-street Parking:
Off-street parking is also pretty expensive in London. Some National Car Parks (NCPs) charge as high as £50 a day. However, with the sheer number of cars available on London streets, NCP car parks are still viable options.
Many NCP car parks start out at £25 a day, but the centrally placed or nearer to high footfall areas can go as high as the privately-owned ones. Online parking space providers, like YourParkingSpace, offer excellent reservable off-street options at affordable prices compared to NCP or privately-owned spaces.
Disabled Parking:
The best part about London is the availability of parking for people with special needs. Even popular attractions across London offer disabled parking access. Blue Badge parking is available throughout London and even in places like the London Zoo, all the city’s museums, and even further out towards the city’s edges. Motorists with disabilities and those included in the Blue Badge scheme need to register online to avail themselves of the parking benefits. Parking in a specific Blue Badge space without the necessary documentation can get you a fine.
Blue Badge holders are usually exempt from the dreaded London Congestion Charge, but you need to apply for it beforehand on the official Transport for London site.
Parking Restrictions:
There are several parking restrictions during major one-off events like a Royal parade or the London Marathon. Some event-specific charges and tariffs come into play around London’s many theatres, arenas, and stadiums. It is best to be wary about the tariffs and restrictions surrounding these events and days.
While you may get adequate places to park in London in the same spaces throughout the year, these special event days might rack up the hourly parking rates or even the daily rates for the duration of the event. Some areas are also marked for Blue Badge holders, so parking in them to save extra money is considered illegal. You may be heavily fined for parking in the spot.
