New data reveals which UK cities offer the best car parking facilities. The study by InsuretheGap, assessed cities based on the number of parking spaces per resident, average walking distance from the city centre and prices per hour.
It might not surprise you to learn that London comes last. It seems the further from the capital a city is, the better. However, there is good news for the people of Newcastle.
Paradises for parking
In 10th place is Cardiff. Although it has plenty of spaces per resident, it’s not so hot when it comes to walking distance and price. Sunderland in ninth, does better for walking distance, but suffers when it comes to the number of spaces. It claws things back massively on price, though, being the cheapest in the country. How does £1.73 for two hours of parking sound?
Sheffield in eighth does OK, with a great score for walking distance. Birmingham in seventh suffers enormously when it comes to available spaces, but good walking distance and competitive pricing redeem it. Sixth-placed Hull, meanwhile, is something of a jack-of-all-trades.
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The top five best cities for parking do well in combining all three. Nottingham in fifth is a prime example. Bradford in fourth has a poor number of spaces per resident, but competitive costs and the best walking distances on the list.
Belfast, Leicester and Newcastle round off the top three, each with great availability and pricing. Belfast falls short somewhat when it comes to walking distances. It does have the most parking spaces per resident on the list, though.
“Trying to find a parking space, especially one in a good location and at a reasonable rate, seems to be getting more difficult,” said Ben Wooltorton of InsuretheGap.com.
“This data highlights areas that are doing well in providing adequate parking for residents and visitors. The other end of the scale indicates where drivers might need to put in a little more research and planning to find the space they want.”