Cost and availability of parking is a growing concern for motorists

There is growing concern among motorists about both the cost and availability of parking in the UK, according to the latest RAC Report on Motoring.

Almost a fifth (18%) of the 1,714 motorists surveyed for the report said the cost of parking is one of their top-four concerns, a 50% increase compared with one in eight (12%) who said this in 2015. And, fears about the availability of parking have also increased, and by an even greater proportion, with one in seven (14%) – a 75% increase on the 8% on 2015 – now saying this is a top-four motoring concern.

Concern about the availability of parking is unsurprisingly biggest in London where 20% say it is a significant issue. Similarly, the cost of parking is also the greatest concern for London’s motorists with 25% listing it as such, but outside the capital it is a significant cause of worry for drivers in the East Midlands (21%) closely followed by the West Midlands, the East of England and Yorkshire where it was named as a concern by 20% of motorists surveyed.

Of those who leave their cars at home for short journeys and use public transport instead, nearly a quarter (23%) said they have done so because they can’t find affordable parking when they get to their destination. This problem appears to be worst in the North of England where nearly four in 10 (39%) cited it. Other areas where motorists believe this to be the case include the East of England (31%), Yorkshire (29%) and the South West (26%).

And, with cost being such a great concern it is perhaps no wonder that a whopping 84% of motorists think they are an easy target for local authorities to raise revenue through parking fines.

Interestingly, while the average annual mileage driven by motorists in the RAC Report on Motoring 2016 has changed relatively little in the last 12 months, the difficulty in finding parking was cited as the most common reason for motorists using their vehicles less. In fact a quarter (24%) of those who use their cars less said this was a factor compared to only 14% who gave the same reason 12 months ago. ​

RAC chief engineer David Bizley said: “Motorists are very clearly more concerned about the availability and cost of parking than they were 12 months ago. This is a worrying finding as struggling to find somewhere to park and then having to pay through the nose to do so could have a very negative effect both on individuals who rely on their cars to go about their daily lives and on businesses in our town and city centres whose viability affects the prosperity of our high streets.

“We hope that the growing concern about the cost of parking is not symptomatic of a blatant attempt by operators to generate increased profits or by policymakers to force more people out of their cars and onto expensive or inadequate public transport instead – a case of using too much ‘stick’ and not enough ‘carrot’ when it comes to making motorists change behaviour.

“In fact, our research tells us that more than half of drivers (54%) would drive less if public transport was better and 44% of this group would use it more if the fares were not so high.

“Looking at a national level the Government has been slow to respond to the Department for Communities and Local Government discussion paper on tackling unfair parking practices. When they do publish their views we will study them very closely to understand the implications for motorists, but given that our findings show that cost and availability of parking is an increasing concern for motorists, the Government should make its views known sooner rather than later.

“In the meantime we urge the Government and local authorities to recognise the important role that parking fulfils in the health of local high streets, on employment and on local communities and to reflect this in both parking provision and the associated legislative framework.”

Press office team

Press office team

For journalist enquiries only

Share

Latest News

Website preview
Second month of lower fuel prices as petrol and diesel fall by 2p a litre in April
RAC calls for further cuts at the pumps to reflect lower wholesale costs
media.rac.co.uk
Website preview
RAC rolls out mechanic apprenticeships nationwide in industry first
Students across England can now become patrols or RAC Mobile Mechanics through the ‘RAC Academy’
media.rac.co.uk
Website preview
Drivers planning a million more leisure trips by car this May Day bank holiday
The number of getaway journeys on major roads is up on last year despite Easter still fresh in people’s minds
media.rac.co.uk

Get updates in your mailbox

By clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy.

About RAC Media Centre

The RAC Media Centre provides journalists and news outlets with the latest motoring-related news, comment, data and research.

The RAC is an iconic UK brand, and provides complete peace of mind to nearly 14 million UK private and business drivers - whatever their motoring needs. As well as its premium nationwide breakdown assistance service – with an expert branded patrol workforce attending more than two million breakdowns every year – and European breakdown assistance products, it offers a wide range of market-leading products across insurance, legal services, vehicle inspections and service, maintenance and repair. Included in this is the first-of-its-kind nationwide Mobile Mechanics service which brings the garage to homes and workplaces. 

At the forefront of new solutions for business fleets and consumers, the RAC’s breakdown service is electric-ready with mobile EV charging technology and be called on using myRAC – its all-in-one route planner, fuel finder and breakdown reporting app