Newcastle Revealed As Best UK City for Parking

Newcastle has been revealed as Britain’s parking hotspot following a study of UK cities conducted by GAP insurance providers, InsuretheGap.com.

The study assessed locations based on the number of parking spaces available per resident, average walking distance from parking to central shopping locations, and the average price for two hours’ parking.

Newcastle tops the league table thanks to its high number of parking spaces, with 0.027 spaces per resident, teamed with short average walking distances of just 17 minutes, and low prices. Two hours parking in the city will set you back an average of just £3.20. Sunderland has the lowest average price for parking in the UK, with two hours costing an average of only £1.73.

Belfast rated highest for most parking spaces per resident with 0.038 available per person, and Bradford is strongest when it comes to the proximity of spaces to the city center, with an average walk of just 14 minutes from parking to central shopping locations.

Northern cities dominate the list of top ten cities to park in the UK. Five of the top ten cities are in this region. The full list of top ten cities for parking is:

1. Newcastle
2. Leicester
3. Belfast
4. Bradford
5. Nottingham
6. Hull
7. Birmingham
8. Sheffield
9. Sunderland
10. Cardiff

London brings up the tail end of the rankings, sitting in last place. The capital ranks so low due to the poor proximity of parking to major central locations, and the steep cost of parking. Two hours in the area will cost an average of £11.25, almost four times the amount paid in Newcastle, and the most expensive in the UK. Liverpool ranks just above London for parking, with low scores across all factors.

Ben Wooltorton, Chief Operating Officer of InsuretheGap.com, says about the research: “Trying to find a parking space, especially one in a good location and at a reasonable rate, seems to be getting more difficult.

“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”.

Methodology

All data in the study was sourced from Parkopedia. All publicly available spaces documented on the site were included in the research.

The 20 most populous cities in the UK were examined in the study. Population figures were taken from the Geographist.

Data for London is based on information for the Central London boroughs, as laid out in the London Plan. These are Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Westminster, and the City of London.

About Insurethegap.com

InsuretheGap.com is a new independent provider of GAP (Guaranteed Asset Protection) insurance. It was launched in 2016 by award-winning and FCA regulated, Halo Insurance Services Limited, the team behind the leading provider of standalone car hire excess insurance, iCarhireinsurance.com.
Halo Insurance Services Limited was founded in 2009 by Ernesto Suarez, a leading insurance expert specializing in non-standard motor insurance. Its products include car hire insurance, van hire insurance, car club excess insurance and now Gap Insurance, all of which have been designed to offer more cover for a better price than the policies offered at the rental desk or by car dealerships