How to save money on your car parking in 2019
Is your new year’s resolution to spend less money on motoring? A great place to start is on car parking.
Car parking hacks for 2019
To help you out, here are our top tips for paying less to park…
Use a parking app
These days there’s a surprising number of apps out there that can help you find the perfect car parking space.
AutoExpress have even been kind enough to pull together a little list for you with all the best parking apps of 2018.
All you have to do is log in to find where the nearest options are, and how much you’ll have to pay – simple.
Some of the apps will even let you reserve spaces for a particular timeslot, so you’ll no longer have to drive around looking for those elusive spaces.
Use a car park further away
It might sound obvious, but park a little further away and you might be able to save some cash.
If you normally park in the town or city centre, why not try a side street further away from the action and walk to your destination?
Just remember to watch out for any restrictions and make sure you don’t block entrances or driveways.
Go off-peak
If you’re heading into town for some retail therapy, save yourself some money by going outside peak hours.
Most shops in larger towns and cities are open until 8pm or 9pm, but car park fees are often a lot cheaper after 6pm.
Check with your
local car park and take advantage of these off-peak fees, which mean you can spend even more in the shops!
Park and ride
If you don’t fancy navigating the busy city centre just to get to a car park that’s already full, why not park and ride?
An increasing number of towns and cities across the UK have park and ride schemes which see drivers park in out-of-town car parks and take a bus into the city centre.
Parking is usually free, you just pay for the bus fare.
Park and walk
In many smaller towns, instead of park and ride services there is often a park and walk scheme in place where drivers can use an out of town car park and walk into the town centre.
While the parking might not always be free, it’s usually much cheaper than town centre car parks and the five to 10-minute walk can be great for working up a pre-shopping appetite.
Fight unfair parking tickets
According to the RAC Foundation, UK drivers are expected to be hit with 6.5 million private parking fines this year alone, but not all of these tickets are handed out fairly.
If you think you’ve been unjustly targeted by a privately-issued Parking Charge Notice (not a council-issued Penalty Charge Notice), you can challenge the fine if you have sufficient evidence in your favour.
Buy a season ticket
If you’re parking up every day then why not invest in a car parking season ticket?
Many car parks give discounts for motorists who buy six-month or annual parking tickets, so if you’re a regular parker it might be worth your while to work out if paying up-front could save you more in the long run.
Car pool
One way to save on the cost of parking is to simply share it with a friend, colleague or family member.
Organising a car pool system with colleagues could help split the costs two, three, or even four ways — and will also cut the individual costs on fuel and any toll roads you might come across.
It’s also a great way of helping cut your carbon footprint and congestion, so it’s definitely worth suggesting in the office.
Leave the car at home
If you don’t want to pay out to park your car then simply leave it at home!
Walking to the office could not only save you money but also help keep you fit and active at the same time.
What’s more, public transport links can often be quicker as they don’t need to contend with all traffic jams and you won’t have to spend time every day searching for that perfect space.
For all the latest news on motoring laws and regulations, check out the 1ST Central Hub and keep up to date with the latest goings on.
