Parking in Manchester

[Lgfst]

Hi all, strange question I know but it's been a while since I've been in the city centre. Now I used to park at the top of deansgate in the car park opposite the cathedral but this was when I had a company car stter that I didn't care about. Now I've got to go in my car.

I don't like this car park as the spaces are tiny.

So i thought I'd ask the people in the know. Are there any recommendations from anyone, preferably spaces of a normal/decent size, no dodgy parts that wheel kerbing could occur and safe. I'll be coming from the south (princess parkway) and going into the city centre (printworks/arndale/deansgate areas).

Thanks in advance

[mr_fibuli]

I use the Great Northern NCP - right on Deansgate, and pretty easy to find from the direction I head into Manchester.

[Lgfst]

Thanks I'll look at that one

[CrutyRammers]

Several on Gravel Lane about 5 mins walk from the printworks etc.

[droopsnoot]

I always used to use the one directly underneath G-Mex, but when I switched cars I found the spaces are a bit too small for comfort so I use the one directly opposite. Mappoint suggests that's the Great Northern, off Watson Street - basically cross the roundabout at the end of Princess Parkway, left under the back of GMex, then right half-way along.

That said, I tend to go in on the train now as a couple of hours in the car park is about equivalent to the return fare, and any more gets expensive quickly. I did once park in the MEN arena car park, I seem to recall that was much cheaper.

[j4ckos mate]

I always park down near Hewitt st.
In the nap behind atlas bar
Handy for northern quarter and deansgate, and I like a way round town if it's ellsewhere

[Some Gump]

I swear by the one by MEN arena (where Boddingtons used to be). Plenty of room to avoid doors, not silly expensive. Only downside is it's a walk, but tbh you're walking about for hours anyway.

[Lgfst]

Thanks everyone. I don't mind a walk. I'd rather feel better knowing I've not kerbed my wheels or my car might get scratched etc. Plus a few extra calories burnt off isn't a bad thing.

Thanks again. Gives me a few choices

[wozzza]

Usually park in shudehill, top floor (It's usually not full on the top floor). An it's big enough for the Monaro, which isn't exactly a small car.

The plus point of this is if like me you find parking is a rip off in the carparks. In the printsworks in the cinema hidden away is a validation box to get 30% off parking.

It's between the automated pickup points for the tickets, small black box no signs or anything on it. Just a card slot and an led light.

An since you have to walk past it anyway on the way back. Might as well get 30% off parking.

[Lgfst]

wozzza said:

Usually park in shudehill, top floor (It's usually not full on the top floor). An it's big enough for the Monaro, which isn't exactly a small car.

The plus point of this is if like me you find parking is a rip off in the carparks. In the printsworks in the cinema hidden away is a validation box to get 30% off parking.

It's between the automated pickup points for the tickets, small black box no signs or anything on it. Just a card slot and an led light.

An since you have to walk past it anyway on the way back. Might as well get 30% off parking.

That's good to know, I'm back in a few weeks to watch the new Star Wars film so I have to go the ticket collection machines anyway.

I never even knew you could do that. Just a black machine with no signs, sounds like they don't want everyone to know about that! Thanks for that tip

[cirian75]

I park in my underground works car park right in the centre on weekends

"waits to flamed"

[escargot]

cirian75 said:

I park in my underground works car park right in the centre on weekends

"waits to flamed"

Why would you be flamed? I park in the space allocated to my apartment which is right in the centre all the time.

[Blakewater]

When I went to university there I used to park on the Aqua Centre car park off Upper Brook Street. The spaces were much bigger than on the Charles Street car park nearer the campus I needed to be on, every car that was parked regularly on that car park was scuffed on every corner and people in large cars needed to shunt backwards and forwards to get round the corners. The Aqua Centre car park was cheaper too. It's a fair walk into the city centre but I've done it hundreds of times so it's easy enough. Last time I went into Manchester to Cheetham's Library I parked on the MEN car park next to Victoria Station.

[Blown2CV]

there were some really excellent car parks in the co-op quarter, £4 a day and unmarked bays so loads of room. Now they've closed them all to make way for building works around angel square

[D-Angle]

Blakewater said:

The spaces were much bigger than on the Charles Street car park nearer the campus I needed to be on, every car that was parked regularly on that car park was scuffed on every corner and people in large cars needed to shunt backwards and forwards to get round the corners.

One thing to be said about Charles Street though, it's the cheapest city centre parking I know of at evenings and weekends, only 2 quid.

[Jim1985]

When I go I normally park at the top of Oxford Road. Heading towards town, turn right where the cash machines used to be just before Starbucks, after where the cheap car park used to be but thats now a building site, and down there on the left (turn just before the pub) theres an unmanned card only parking bit. Fairly cheap, but not sure how busy it gets at peak times.

[Wacky Racer]

If you don't mind a short walk, you can usually park on the side streets around Strangeways prison, it's safe enough during the day, never had any problems, City centre car parks are a rip off.

[Blakewater]

D-Angle said:

Blakewater said:

The spaces were much bigger than on the Charles Street car park nearer the campus I needed to be on, every car that was parked regularly on that car park was scuffed on every corner and people in large cars needed to shunt backwards and forwards to get round the corners.

One thing to be said about Charles Street though, it's the cheapest city centre parking I know of at evenings and weekends, only 2 quid.

True. I was foiled last weekend by the Water Street car park near the science museum being a building site. I parked on the New Bailey Street car park which is £4.00 at the weekend. A load of police were there because it's right by where that homeless guy was set on fire in his tent.

The Spinningfields car park is only a few steps away but the river marks the Manchester, Salford boundary and because the Spinningfields one is in Manchester it doesn't have the cheap weekend rate.

[Lgfst]

Thanks everyone. I used a couple of different ones, I found some on the south side of Manchester more ideal only due to traffic getting around the other side.

An old friend now let's me use her underground space at her flat, she doesn't drive so it suits her. All for the price of a bottle of wine a month.

[snuffy]

I managed to park on Cholton Streen and Portland Street last night for quite a long time for free due to the ineptitude of Transport For Greater Manchester.