London parking

doberryfirkin

Jance. Don't think it applies but if you are travelling down on the Friday watch out for the congestion charge. I went to London for the first time in ages by car a few weekends ago and didn't know the way the CG worked. Unfortunately when I tried to pay for it on the Sat morning I was charged the penalty - £50. It's a bit of highway robbery and I presume aimed at putting people of going to London - if it ain't then that is what it has achieved with me!

julesgr

Sorry to hijack the thread slightly, but I found this page the other day. Can anyone confirm that these rates are accurate? They seem to be good to be true, or are these amounts per hour?![/QUOTE]

These are true rates , i park at Cockfosters station for the same price it 's an encouragement to use the tube and not drive in to town. These stations are practically all end of the line/suburbs so you pay a little more foryour travel card but still worth it IMHO

gizzmo_2

Parking meters are free after 1.30pm on Saturdays and all day Sundays and Bank Holidays in the Farringdon and Chancery lane areas. I work near there and sometimes have to pop into the office on the weekend, so I just drive in and pop it on a meter after 1.30pm. Its a 10 min bus ride to Leicester Square from there, or 2/3 stops on the central line to Oxford Circus. This is also true of some of the back streets behind Upper Street in Islington. I have parked on them many a time on a sat afternoon - especially when going to the Design centre - eg for exhibitions etc.

Paulee

Like Jance, I am travelling down from Shropshire to a show at Drury Lane on Easter Monday. We will probably stay at Islington or Covent Garden Travelodge. The trains are very expensive so I will definately drive down, but I don't know the city roads and I would prefer to park at a secure car park on the outskirts of the city. My route will be down the M40, then maybe the A40 if this is best. Can anyone recommend an easily accessible area, with available parking and a good rail/tube line in to Islington, Covent Garden or Holborn area please.

maxiscot

I live in London and be very careful parking your car in a residential area near a tube station and leaving it. We are in Greenwich, and it is controlled parking zone - i.e. you need a residential permit - if you don't have one you are fined £80. You may find that a bit draconian but people were doing what has been suggested to you - park in residential areas, leaving their car and commuting into London -result - no parking for people who live there, more traffic, more congestion etc. HTH

rdwarr

Paulee wrote:

Like Jance, I am travelling down from Shropshire to a show at Drury Lane on Easter Monday. We will probably stay at Islington or Covent Garden Travelodge. The trains are very expensive so I will definately drive down, but I don't know the city roads and I would prefer to park at a secure car park on the outskirts of the city. My route will be down the M40, then maybe the A40 if this is best. Can anyone recommend an easily accessible area, with available parking and a good rail/tube line in to Islington, Covent Garden or Holborn area please.

Hillingdon Station (very close to the A40 and not too far in) may be a good bet. Metropolitan/Piccadilly Lines; the latter will go to Covent Garden and Holborn.
If you want to drive in a little further there's a good NCP at Shepherd's Bush close to the Central Line station which goes to Holborn. It's £2.40 an hour though.

Paulee

maxiscot wrote:

I live in London and be very careful parking your car in a residential area near a tube station and leaving it. We are in Greenwich, and it is controlled parking zone - i.e. you need a residential permit - if you don't have one you are fined £80. You may find that a bit draconian but people were doing what has been suggested to you - park in residential areas, leaving their car and commuting into London -result - no parking for people who live there, more traffic, more congestion etc. HTH

Thank you for the advice. I do want to find a secure carpark and have no intention of parking in a residents space. I can understand residents concerns but you do have public carparks don't you? We do in Telford!

maxiscot

yes we do have pay and display or daily rates at north greenwich tube but you would be surprised at the amount of strange cars parking in our street and the parking wardens are eagle-eyed

gromituk

Paulee wrote:

The trains are very expensive so I will definately drive down

Have you worked out the true cost per mile of driving your car - including servicing, depreciation, etc - and the cost of travelling in from outside Zone 1? You might find the difference isn't as large as you presume.

If you want cheap train tickets you have to book well in advance. Look at www.nationalrail.co.uk to see when cheaper tickets are available, Apex ones being the best. You can shuttle around to find exactly how much it's going to cost for when you decide to travel, and look for cheaper options.

Paulee

gromituk wrote:

Have you worked out the true cost per mile of driving your car - including servicing, depreciation, etc - and the cost of travelling in from outside Zone 1? You might find the difference isn't as large as you presume.

If you want cheap train tickets you have to book well in advance. Look at www.nationalrail.co.uk to see when cheaper tickets are available, Apex ones being the best. You can shuttle around to find exactly how much it's going to cost for when you decide to travel, and look for cheaper options.

Thanks Gromituk for your advice. I have checked out the rail option and, after "digging deep" for the best option, have now booked four tickets. When you do consider all of the costs, plus young person railcard discounts, I think it works out about the same cost, but (hopefully) an easier journey.