Thursday 23rd November 2006

Brum's best for parking: survey

But why do we need to know?

---

A car park...

Someone has taken the trouble to ask where the best place to park is -- which has surely to classify as one of the best examples of putting horse before cart.

But we're told that, according to a new survey, the best place to park in the UK is at a Birmingham shopping centre.

Kevin Beresford, head of the Car Park Appreciation Society, was hired by the AA to test the best and worst places to park across the country. Beresford said Birmingham's Mailbox complex had good lighting, nice background music and good space width.

He told the BBC: "It is quite a stylish building, which helps it. It is easy to get into and easy to get out, it's not that cheap though but I guess you get what you pay for."

The worst space according to Mr Beresford was in London's International Press Centre (IPC). He said: "There's one particular space which seems to be right by a staff door that would open right onto your car. Trying to turn around there would be almost impossible.

"I was shocked how bad the car parks in this country were. A car park is like any other building - why should they be smelly or dark."

But then -- who goes anywhere because it's a good place to park?

[sanguinary]

Note To Self.....

Next time I go shopping in Manchester, I'll be able to find a nice space in Birmingham.

I wish my job was as pointless as some of these researchers.

[MrFlibbles]

To be fair, the Mailbox is a bloody good car park!

[sanguinary]

Yup, I know it's a good car park.

It just bugs me that people get paid a nice wad to tell us something that the people in the area concerned already know and people miles away couldn't care less about.

[stevebedford1969]

Mmmmm - Life really is too short. Now where did I put my knitting?

[Gooby]

I am anal about where I park my car, though I agree that this is another waste of time survey, it does make a good point. Why should we pay for a crap car park wher your car is likely to be damaged.

[kudosdude]

As much as it pains me to say this, I think it is a very good idea to rate car parks. If the common perception is the car park you run is classed as one of the bottom 10 in the country, you would think about doing something about it. 2p

Edited to add “Well done Mr Beresford + AA”

Edited by kudosdude on Friday 24th November 13:55

[Fort Jefferson]

This will knock spots of anywhere for security
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3498199

[zumbruk]

"But then -- who goes anywhere because it's a good place to park?"

if you stand that question on it's head, then I do. Anywhere where there's nowhere to park, or they're anti-car, or it's expensive, I simply don't go there. Me and my discretionary spending simply go somewhere else. Are you listening, Bedford Council?

[corradoboy1983]

We have a good pub guide, it would be useful to have a good carpark guide to know the safest and/or cheapest places to park in a particular area...

I can see why they did the research personally.

[Dogwatch]

kudosdude said:

As much as it pains me to say this, I think it is a very good idea to rate car parks. If common preceptions are the car park you run is classed as one of the bottom 10 in the country, you would think about doing something about it. 2p

Knock it down and either flog it off or build 'affordable housing' - with no parking spaces.

[AndyWoodall]

zumbruk said:

"But then -- who goes anywhere because it's a good place to park?"

if you stand that question on it's head, then I do. Anywhere where there's nowhere to park, or they're anti-car, or it's expensive, I simply don't go there. Me and my discretionary spending simply go somewhere else. Are you listening, Bedford Council?

I'm with you, I think many many people on here do actually care about where they park, I thought that tidbit at the end of the article was a very strange thing to write on a site where people tend to take care/worry about their cars more than your average road user.

I think the guy who wrote this book is taking a lot of stick for just writing a handy guide (the local BBC news was having a slight dig at him too), if it offends you so much that a guy has a slightly strange hobby, and is trying to make a buck or two out of it, then just don't buy his book.

He's bang on about Brum carparks too, the Mailbox, Bullring and the one at Brindley place are all top notch car parks.

Edited by AndyWoodall on Friday 24th November 12:43

Edited by AndyWoodall on Friday 24th November 12:43

[kudosdude]

Well said Andy.

[spidydude]

well that was a chunk of my life i'll never get back

what a useless article