Westminster’s car parks to get the easyJet treatment (09/06/2008)

Expensive parking charges could soon become a thing of the past following the introduction of budget-airline-style pricing in the heart of the capital.

Westminster City Council is to trial "easyJet-style parking" that could see motorists in central London parking for as little as 20p an hour.

The scheme is the first of its kind to be implemented in the UK with drivers being charged according to how full a car park is, in a similar way to how some budget airlines determine ticket prices.

The cost of parking will be displayed on a digital screen at the entrance of the car park that is linked to a vehicle counter.

Motorists who arrive when the car park has a small number of spaces filled will pay only 20p an hour or £2.40 for the whole day.

A small number of drivers who turn up when it is almost full will pay a maximum of £2 per hour- the same as the current maximum hourly rate.

The scheme will be trialled at Westminster’s Queensway car park for twelve weeks, starting today (Monday 9th June). The car park has space for more than 250 vehicles. If successful, the scheme will be extended to all 14 car parks, including those in the West End.

Cllr Danny Chalkley, Westminster's Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: "We know that many drivers in London are put off by expensive parking charges. Now they will be able to park far more cheaply on a first come, first served basis.

“We have seen the huge success of similar pricing schemes employed by easyJet for their passengers and now hope to emulate this success and provide low cost parking."

Director of Corporate Communications from easyJet, Toby Nicol, said: “This is an exciting idea by Westminster Council and we were more than happy to offer advice to them about low cost pricing. “We hope that motorists will be as happy with low cost parking as we have been with low cost flying.”

Since the introduction of the congestion charge five years ago retailers in Westminster have complained that customers have been deterred by the £8 daily congestion charge. It is hoped that variable pricing will help local business by attracting 30 per cent more drivers to central London car parks.

Earlier in the year the council introduced five ‘Common Sense’ parking measures to make it more convenient for motorists in the heart of the capital. One of these has seen a reduction by 40 per cent in the number of tickets issued for residents for some contraventions another a reduction by half in the number of tickets issued to heavy goods vehicles when making deliveries in central London.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

How Does It Work?

When the car park is empty, the lowest hourly rate will be charged -as low as 20p per hour.

As the car park begins to fill up, the hourly rate will increase at an appropriate rate.

There is a minimum charge of 1 hour, and all stays will be rounded up to the nearest hour for pricing purposes.

The hourly rate shown when the vehicle enters the car park is the hourly rate that will be paid for the entire duration of the stay, irrespective of how the rate varies during the time parked in the car park or the length of stay.

The aim is to increase usage of the car park as much as possible, so that there is never a need to charge an hourly rate higher than the current maximum hourly rate of £2 per hour. However, rates will vary over the trial period – drivers are advised to check the rates before entering the car park.