Guidelines on How Best to Park in London
Posted on 22/07/2015
Finding the Right Car Park
A great way to get ahead in discovering the right car park for you in London is to download route planning or parking apps. They’re available for both Android and iPhone devices, and you’ll also find that a lot of up-to-date satellite navigation (sat nav) systems will come with the facility to view parking in localised areas. You’ll be much better off for planning ahead like this and you won’t waste much of your day searching for somewhere to place the car. Several useful apps in particular may even give you information on the capacity of a car park at any one time so you can make even more in-depth plans. You’ll thank yourself if you do! If you’re taking time away from your household cleaning or work demands then you wouldn’t want to spend much of your trip searching for a place to park rather than soaking in the city! The impressive Q-Park company currently runs 16 car parks throughout Central London that you might find a great help, and are usually a safer and cleaner alternative. To even better increase your chances of a good space, try checking in on the specialised website – Parkopedia.
Accomodating for Disabled Drivers
Benefits enjoyed under the Blue Badge scheme are unfortunately inapplicable in certain areas of London, such as the City of Westminster or the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Drivers in receipt of a Blue Badge should always plan this ahead of time too, so that they know exactly where the standard entitlements are in effect. Where they are not, there are specific parking bays for Blue Badge holders and it would be prudent to get these noted down before you take the trip. Don’t get caught out by differing legislation, and make sure you’re fully up to date with all available options within the capital. Holders of a Blue Badge are able to claim a complete 100 percent discount on London’s Congestion Charge however, which can be a great help and is always worth doing. To find out more you should visit the Transport for London webpage where you can register. Cutting out the Congestion Charge can save you more than a bit of money so make sure you take your time on this step! While charged at full rates, NCP car parks in Central London do currently have a modest number of disabled only spaces available.
More Information on Fines and their Consequences
Each separate London borough administers their own offences, and penalties may vary depending on where the incident took place. You should always take care to make sure you vehicle is never parked in contravention of local and nationwide restrictions, so you should always be fully aware of exactly what these are before you park your car in London. Nobody wants to be issued with a fine and it can be easily avoided with just a little forward thinking before the day. It could take five minutes to plan your route and find appropriate parking, and that’s far more worth doing than parking haphazardly and having to pay over the odds for illegal parking. Keep your license clean, and don’t find yourself having to pay out charges that can range from £80 to £130 and in some cases even higher. In many cases, however, you can receive a 50 percent discount by following the terms and paying your fine within a 14-day cut-off point. This should always be done, as fines are easily payable through a variety of ways such as online, in person, through the phone or even by post. Contact whichever relevant borough you may be visiting for more in-depth guidelines.
