Most people in the UK have a tough time finding adequate parking. With the increase in the number of automobiles on the road, the parking infrastructure seems inadequate. Since most people in the UK live in the suburbs and travel to the cities, finding suitable parking can become challenging.
The UK has strict rules and regulations about parking on streets and car parks. The car parks are usually managed by the local borough, and each set of rules differs from the next. Many towns also have parking restrictions, special parking zones, and reserved parking for people with special needs. Put together, parking in a city could become problematic. However, not having parking is not a good reason to avoid going to town.
We have a few tips to help make parking in town easy. These tips are broad and can be applied to all major cities in the UK. All you require is a bit of patience and alertness.
Let us look at a few tips that make parking in town easy.
Parking Apps:
The parking app, YourParkingSpace.co.uk, is one of the UK’s best parking space providers. The app is user-friendly and has affordable parking slots available in the locations of your choice. They also offer various parking spaces based on hourly, weekly, and monthly rates. With a parking provider, you can easily reserve the parking spot and go directly to a safe and secure space for your car.
YourParkingSpace also offers disability-friendly parking for people with special needs. Depending on the area you need to travel to, this app will show several options, with each rate and a description, to make your life easy. Using the parking app is a surety of stress-free parking.
Go Early:
If you are driving to town, it is best to leave early and get the best parking available everywhere. Many people who go to town for their holiday or weekend grocery shopping leave early in the morning to reach the malls by 10 am. Doing this helps avoid traffic on the streets and get a spot in the mall parking lot.
If you are visiting a friend in town and are meeting later, it is best to check what other work you may have, and club all your chores together, so you only have to find parking once. Reaching town early, parking and paying for the charge for the whole day (instead of hourly by the meter), and finishing off all chores before meeting your friends is a great idea to keep the car safe until it is time for you to return.
Use Car Parks:
NCP and Q-Park parking lots are available for public use at an hourly charge. However, the slots aren’t too many, and you may not always find parking. It is, however, useful to take a round and wait a few minutes before exiting the car park and heading to another one. Most public car parks near shopping malls, commercial buildings, and concert and event venues quickly get full.
If you’re planning to use a car park, you may have to go to one of the less popular ones and park your car, then use public transport to reach your destination. Doing this will require additional planning and the extra cost of public transportation. However, if you plan it well, you could opt for good discounts or use your monthly train and bus pass (if you have one).
If you see a multi-storey car park, you should head there first. Avoid searching for parking spaces on the first three floors, and instead, opt to go towards the higher floors. Most people prefer waiting on the ground, first, second, and third floors for parking spaces. Avoiding these and going higher, parking, and then taking an elevator down will help save time and money and get the work done faster.
Find Convenient Parking In Malls:
Most people in shopping malls need to sit and wait to get a parking space. If you need to do this, it is best to park near the entrance or exit of the mall parking area. Most shoppers wait for parking spaces to open up closest to the mall’s opening and not the parking space. So there are more vacant slots near the entrance and exit of the parking lot.
If you find a parking slot, it is best to immediately park and walk a few minutes to enter the mall. Doing this is still better than waiting for fifteen or twenty minutes for a space near the main entrance.