Almost all motorists in the UK will encounter parking problems at some point. With the number of vehicles on UK roads remaining at an all-time high, exacerbated by the shift to driving following covid with many people steering clear of public transport, the parking problem is not going away anytime soon.
Finding a parking space is one issue, whilst many UK drivers also complain about the high cost of parking when they do eventually find a space. All-day parking in London can cost as much as £60.
Added to this are the various parking rules dependent on where you’re parking. In particular, when it comes to the on-street parking the rules can be restrictive, with maximum stay limits of 2-4 hours regularly implemented to prevent drivers from parking all day.
To ease these parking problems one of the best solutions is to pre-book a parking slot with www.yourparkingspace.co.uk. You can search for parking near your destination and book parking for a few hours, days or on a monthly basis. Pre-booked spaces often come with a discount, and you get the peace of mind knowing that you have a guaranteed space reserved for you in a spot where you’re allowed to park.
Nowadays you wouldn’t consider going on holiday without booking your hotel in advance. It’s now the same for parking, consider booking in advance to eliminate many of the parking problems that motorists have traditionally faced.
Let us look at some common parking problems.
Incorrect Use Of Existing Parking Space:
Development practices, roadblocks, inadequate information, and other reasons could lead to mismanagement of parking spaces. Many places in the UK specified for public parking are ill-managed, not correctly advertised, or without signs that could lead motorists to use them. This incorrect use of signage, markers and more is a leading cause of parking problems.
Since most drivers do not know where to find parking, they start looking at curbside parking and tend to rack up immense parking charges and meters.
Inconvenient Parking Facilities:
Civic bodies in the UK are legally bound to provide parking. Unfortunately, this parking area is usually quite inconvenient for motorists. Most commercial complexes, businesses, and residents need parking spaces that are easily accessible and convenient. Since many apartment homeowners park their cars in parking facilities and walk to their homes, not having convenient parking could lead to problems in the long term. Many residents also prefer parking closer to their homes, so they do not have to walk too much on their way to and from their cars.
Once they realize that the car parks are too far to walk, they will eventually stop using the car parking spaces, which will lead to under-utilization and losses.
Loading and Unloading Zones:
When people think of parking issues, they do not usually have business needs like loading and unloading goods. These zones are generally close to the businesses and may lead to severe traffic congestions and parking issues. Scarce parking for commercial vehicles may also eat up available space for others.
Commercial vehicles need to be allocated separate parking slots for deliveries and pick-ups so they can park at the side while others use the assigned areas.
Pricing Methods:
One of the most common issues with parking in the UK is the parking charges or rates. The rates on hourly parking meters are far too high for people to use the car parking daily. Pricing is one of the primary reasons for the low utilization of public parking meters. Another is the parking charge penalty. People often pay additional money in the meter but do not end up using the time, causing pricing issues. If they don’t pay enough, they could be facing severe fines and penalties.
The pricing for parking in the UK is so high that most people prefer using public transport, creating issues during rush hours. With the government’s social distancing and safety measures, it is necessary to decrease the amount of per trip volume on local trains and buses. While offices and businesses have reopened, people should use personal transport and avoid public facilities to curb the unnatural spread of the coronavirus.
Confusing Policies:
Different places in the UK have different parking policies. The same applies to public holidays, rush hour, and other important days. With so many changes in the system, it can get confusing for motorists to follow the correct policies. Not understanding the differences can also create parking problems for many.
These policies also change for specific events. While open events and functions provide parking, the guidelines are not clear, which causes further confusion resulting in fines. With adequately clear policies and correct information, this issue can easily be averted.
