UK drivers hit by cost of parking
The cost of car-parking for UK drivers has rocketed in the past six years, according to Direct Line car insurance.Research by the firm shows that the average cost of car-parking has risen by an average of 25 per cent across the country, with motorists in Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, Ponteland in Northumberland and St Mary's Bay in Kent facing increases of 90 per cent in charges since 2000.Perhaps unsurprisingly Londoners continue to pay the most in car-parking fees with two hours parking in Westminster now costing about £7.99, closely followed by second placed Islington at £7.32 and Heathrow at £7.01.Car-parking fines have also increased with nearly one in five motorists being hit by a fine in the past two years, costing a total of £425 million."Parking is a bone of contention for most drivers in the UK and our research shows that because of rocketing costs and limited spaces drivers are literally forced to wittingly break the law â€" and consequently be hit with fines in the process," Emma Holyer, Direct Line's motor spokesperson, said."If you are driving into a busy place its worthwhile doing some research to find out about any park and ride schemes or any cheap car parks in advance as it could save you serious money," she added.
Share this..
Related stories
Virgin Money announces acquisition of Church House Trust
Despite intense speculation that Virgin Money had already agreed a deal with the UK government for the acquisition of Northern Rock, the company has today surprised the markets with the purchase of Church House Trust, a small regional bank, for an initial outlay of £12.3 million. While this is obviously tiny compared to the likes of Northern Rock and other UK banking institutions, it does secure...
Read MoreDebt enquiries "to surge" after Christmas, Citizens Advice says
Christmas debts are likely to lead to a rash of enquiries to Citizens Advice in the New Year, the charity has said.According to the organisation, a "surge" is expected following the festive season, with people facing higher card and loan bills.The financial downturn has already caused an upswing in the number of people having financial problems and contacting Citizens Advice bureaux.For example, m...
Read MoreWhy are we seeing more job losses if the economy is improving?
Over the last few weeks we have seen an increase in job losses at some of the U.K.'s more prominent companies despite the fact that the UK economy has officially moved out of recession. Many people will be confused to see the UK economy on the up but job losses continue to be announced on a daily basis. So why are we seeing more job losses if the UK economy is improving? As we have mentioned on...
Read MoreMiddle England to see £40,000 house price fall
Homeowners in Middle England could see house prices fall by as much as £40,000 before the end of the year, new research suggests.According to figures from Axa, property in Middle England may drop by 18.3 per cent before Christmas as a result of the current economic downturn.Across all demographics, the company predicts a house price fall of 12.9 per cent by 2009, with negative equity a possibilit...
Read MoreHas the Tory budget plan gone far enough?
Despite the fact that George Osborne is contemplating public sector cuts the likes of which have not been seen for over 30 years, there are still many people who believe he needs to go further. The official opposition party has also suggested a "budget watchdog" which would monitor the state of the UK budget and how much the UK government is borrowing. But does this watchdog have teeth?