New research has found that annual parking permits in Manchester are on average £418 more expensive than London.
This means that the city ranks as the most expensive place to park in the country.
The cost of an annual parking permit in Manchester city centre comes in at £538 on average, compared to the capital’s average annual figure of £120, and the average of all cities analysed is which is £103.08.
Birmingham and Edinburgh come in at second and third on the list of most expensive average costs of a parking permit, each with permits costing over £200, and then at the opposite end of the list, Cardiff charges an average of £7.50 per year for permits making it the place with the average cheapest residential parking permits in the UK.
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Believe it or not, in fellow northern cities Leeds and Liverpool, there are no charges at all.
The average cost of a parking permit in UK cities
Rank
City
Average
1
Manchester
£538
2
Birmingham
£207
3
Edinburgh
£202.91
4
Glasgow
£169
5
Sheffield
£145.60
6
London
£120
7
Norwich
£38.20
8
Bristol
£38
9
Belfast
£30
10
Leicester & Newcastle
£25
11
Cardiff
£7.50
12
Leeds, Liverpool & Nottingham
£0.00
The most expensive residential parking permit can be found in Manchester’s Zone 3 district – which covers three of the main train station areas, Deansgate, Manchester Oxford Road, and Piccadilly – at an eye-watering £750 per year.
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Manchester also has the second most expensive permit in the UK.
In Zone 1 – which covers the central retail district – a parking permit costing £650 per year.
Speaking on the findings from the new study, Dan Hutson – Head of Motor Insurance at comparethemarket.com – said: “Paying up to £750 for a residential parking permit is a lot of money [and] while those who live in busy cities and towns might not have a choice but to buy a parking permit, it is worth remembering that it’s common for car insurers to ask where your vehicle is parked because it can increase the risk of theft or damage.
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“Parking on the street outside your home can, in some cases, increase your insurance premium if providers consider the area exposed to higher risk”.
Council calls on public to suggest names for new public square in Stretford
Emily Sergeant
The Greater Manchester public is being called on to help name a brand-new public square in the heart of Stretford.
Could we have another ‘Boaty McBoatface’ on our hands? As far as public naming competitions go, the comical suggestion for the name of a new RMS ship back in 2016 – which was then given to a fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) instead – will probably always lead the way as the most well-known entrant.
But now, it’s Greater Manchester‘s turn to give it a go and get creative with their naming suggestions, as Trafford Council inviting the local community to name a brand-new public square that’s set to open in the heart of Stretford next year.
Connecting the newly restored King Street and Pinnington Lane, Trafford Council says the new public square will play “a key part in the transformation of the area” and be a “focal point” for the area – with lots of greenery, seating areas, and spaces to “meet, rest and play” and host events too.
Residents are being encouraged to “put their imprint on the Square” by putting forward their suggestions for its name.
All the entries will be condensed into a shortlist and the public will then vote on their favourite.
With the naming competition fully underway, Trafford residents now have the opportunity to talk to the Stretford town centre team, get creative, and post entries into the voting box that’ll be in place in Stretford Mall up until Sunday 19 May, as well as submit their ideas via the Stretford town centre website.
To come up with their names suggestions, the Council wants residents to take inspiration from these three themes:
Heritage – celebrating the fascinating history embedded into Stretford’s identity
Culture – showcasing the rich and vibrant cultural tapestry that defines the essence of the town and its residents
Community – reflecting the strong sense of unity among Stretford’s residents, making the town a welcoming place to live, work, and socialise.
After submissions are closed, the Stretford town centre forum will then decide on three entries that “best represent the area” and have made best use of the inspiration topics to go to the public vote for the final decision.
A town centre polling station will be open for residents to cast their votes in person, or they can do so online via both a Google form or a range of social media polls.
The public vote will officially close on Sunday 16 June, and the unveiling ceremony will take place at The StretFest on Saturday 6 July, where the winner and name of the new public square will be announced.
Fancy shooting a suggestion then? Find out more on the Stretford Town Centre website here.
Featured Image – STC / Bruntwood
News
Manchester-born Lord of the Rings and Titanic actor Bernard Hill dies aged 79
Danny Jones
Manchester actor, best known for roles in Lord of the Rings, Titanic, Shirley Valentine and more, has sadly died at the age of 79.
Born in Blackley near the River Irk, historically part of Lancashire, the familiar British face who often popped up in Hollywood too famously played Théoden, the King of Rohan, in the original trilogy of fantasy films as well as Captain Edward Smith in Titanic.
His death was announced by his agent Lou Coulson via the BBC, who confirmed that he passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning.
A statement from his family is expected soon and tributes are already pouring in online.
Hill studied at what is now the Manchester School of Theatre, formerly known as the Polytechnic School of Theatre and also went on to appear in the much-loved BBC drama by Alan Bleasdale, Boys from the Blackstuff, back in 1982.
Playing the character of Yosser Hughes – best-known for the line “gizza a job” – the show went on to be awarded a BAFTA for best drama series in 1983 and was ranked as the seventh best TV show ever made on a 2000 round-up by the British Film Institute
He was also due for a big return to TV screens in series two of another BBC hit, The Responder starring Martin Freeman, which begins airing at 9pm this Sunday.