Car Parks

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the car park open 24 hours?

All Westminster City Council car parks except Cavendish Square and Cramer Street car parks are open 24 hours. For operating hours at Cavendish Square and Cramer Street car parks, please see individual car park pages. Some car parks may be shuttered at certain times of the day or night, but access will still be possible – see below for details.

How can I enter and exit car parks when the shutters are down?

When a car park is closed, in most cases (excluding Cavendish Square and Cramer Street) a roller shutter will be used at the entrance and exit to the car park. The information below relates to how to gain access to the car park in the event it is closed and shuttered.

Entry to Car Park with a Vehicle
Use the Help Point to contact our manned 24/7 control room, who will allow you to drive in by car.
Alternatively, you can buy a keyfob that will activate the roller shutter without using the Help Point. They can be purchased from the car park operator, APCOA, at a cost of £25 incl VAT. Please contact APCOA on 020 7402 5922 during office hours, or at westminster@apcoa.co.uk, for more information.

Exiting Car Park on Foot
All customers may exit via the pedestrian exit, as normal.

Entry to Car Park on Foot
There will be a keypad at the entrance to the car park which all customers will be able to use. Inputting the unique season ticket number (found on the reverse of the season ticket) or casual ticket number into the keypad will allow access to the car park.

Exiting Car Park with a Vehicle
All customers will be able to exit the car park with their vehicle, even when the car park is closed. Shutters will raise either as the customer approaches the barrier, or when the ticket is inserted into the barrier, depending on the car park.

How can motorcycle season ticket customers enter shuttered car parks?

Motorcycle season tickets will need to press the help button to enter a shuttered car park. They will need to quote their registration number to the 24/7 manned control room.

I can see an attendant but he won't take my payment?

The attendants are located in the car parks for general assistance and enquiries. The Pay on Foot machines are able to take credit card and cash payments. If you do experience a problem while making a payment, please press the help button on the payment machine.

I've lost my key fob, how can I get a new one?

Contact APCOA on 020 7402 5922 during normal office hours, or email westminster@apcoa.co.uk. There will be a replacement charge of £25 incl VAT.

I’m a season ticket holder, what if I can’t find a space?

Season ticket holder vehicles will always be parked. If you encounter difficulty parking, please contact a car park attendant or press a help button to speak to our manned 24/7 control room.

How much will it cost? Where is the car park?

For tariffs, location and other details on each car park please see our car parks information page.

Will a transit van fit into the car park?

Most Westminster City Council car parks have height restrictions. For more information please see car parks information page. Cramer Street car park is an open air car park with no height restrictions.

Do I pay less at night?

At the majority of our 24 hour car parks, special overnight rates are available for entry and departure between certain times. View the car parks information page with price guide for more information.

What disabled facilities do you have?

Many car parks have bays for registered disabled badge holders. View our disabled parking page which includes a facilities guide for more information.

Can I park my motorcycle or push bike?

Yes, at the majority of our car parks motorcycle parking is available on a quarterly season ticket basis. Please contact carparkscustomercare@westminster.gov.uk for more details. Push bikes can normally be parked free of charge at selected car parks.

I’m planning an event and need parking, who can I call?

Call our Sales and Marketing team on 020 7641 2065 to discuss your requirements.

Can I buy a ticket that’s valid at all Westminster City Council car parks?

Please contact carparkssales@westminster.gov.uk or our Sales and Marketing Team on 020 7641 2065 to discuss.

Is the car park safe and secure?

All Westminster City Council car parks have been awarded the Safer Car Park award. The car parks are monitored by CCTV and our trained attendants. For more information, please see Safe and Secure Car Parks.

Do the car parks have CCTV cameras?

Yes. Instead of relying solely on the car park attendants on-site, CCTV cameras monitor the car parks at all times. CCTV images will either be monitored onsite, or from our manned 24/7 control room.

What if I need assistance in a car park?

Help Points are located in our car parks on payment machines, barrier equipment and at strategic points around the car park. If a car park is manned, calls will be directed through to the staff kiosk where a staff member can assist. In unmanned car parks, the calls are directed to a manned 24/7 control room where a mobile response team is available at all times to visit car parks. Should a call-out be made the estimated response time is approximately 10 minutes, where assistance is required on-site. The team will use mopeds to travel between the car parks and regular patrols will be carried out by them where there is no permanent member of staff on-site.

Do you offer reduced rates for residents of Westminster?

Local residents may be eligible to buy a permit to park at their nearest Westminster City Council car park. Please call 020 7402 5922 or email westminster@apcoa.co.uk for information and availability.

What promotions or discounts are currently on offer?

We run a number of promotional schemes including a Theatreland Scheme and reduced rate Holiday Parking for Westminster Residents. Details of these and others can be found on our special offers page.

My question isn't covered here. What should I do now?

This list of FAQs is provided to assist customers with the more common query. For other queries please e-mail carparkscustomercare@westminster.gov.uk or call freephone 0800 243 348

All Westminster City Council car parks have been awarded Safer Car Park status. We are the only car park operator in London to have 100% Safer Car Park status.