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”.
— Barefoot Spooky Bartender 👣💀🍹 (@barefoottiki) October 10, 2024
“Be assured there won’t be 14408mph winds, hurricane force winds or overnight temperatures of 404°C.
“It is being looked at and hopefully sorted asap.”
BBC Weather shared: “You may have noticed some data issues on our app and website. We are working hard to fix it quickly. Sorry – please bear with us.
“In the meantime here are Thursday’s weather headlines: -Colder, clearer air moving in -Rain and drizzle in south -Blustery showers near east coast”
And national treasure Carol Kirkwood said live on air: “We are having a technical glitch at the moment. It’s showing wind speeds far too fast, in fact, hurricane strength and that is not the case at all.
“Please don’t be alarmed. We are aware of it and on it.”
At the time of writing, the BBC Weather forecast service is still predicting hurricane force winds for the UK. Eek.
BBC issues statement after UK forecast shows ‘hurricane force winds’ up to 14,000mph
New 44-storey skyscraper proposed that could change one of Manchester’s most famous views
Emily Sergeant
Plans for a massive new 44-storey residential skyscraper in the heart of the city centre have been revealed.
But does this mean it could change one Manchester‘s most famous views?
Located on what has been referred to as a “prominent site” adjacent to Deansgate train station and Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop at Whitworth Street West, these dramatic proposals would see the development of 364 apartments set over 44 storeys – with more 7,750 sq ft of active space on the ground, first, and second floor levels.
Developers Glenbrook say the building has been designed to “respond to the city’s heritage”, most-notably through its three-storey arched terracotta colonnade at street level.
Well-lit new green spaces, the enhancing of existing pedestrian routes, and seamless integration with the surrounding communities, all form part of the landscaping proposals for the bold new project.
“As a Manchester-based developer, we are excited about the prospect of embarking on a landmark development in the heart of our city, admitted Daniel Roberts, who is the Development Director at Glenbrook, as the proposals were unveiled this week.
“Whitworth Street West is undergoing a period of revitalisation, and Glenbrook are incredibly proud to be playing such an integral part in its future.”
A CGI of a proposed skyscraper on Whitworth Street West in Manchester / Credit: Glenbrook
A public consultation on the plans has now been launched, and will be live up until 28 October, as well as a dedicated in-person event, where representatives from Glenbrook and the design team will be on hand to answer questions and gather feedback, scheduled to take place at HOME MCR on First Street from 3:30-7:30pm on 15 October.
Residents, businesses, and interested stakeholders will have the opportunity to view the plans in detail, and provide their thoughts on the proposals.
The view of what Whitworth Street West currently looks like in October 2024 / Credit: The Manc Group
According to developers, the feedback gathered during the consultation will play a key role in shaping the final planning application – which will be submitted to the Manchester City Council in the coming months, and ultimately ensure the development meets the needs of the community.
Emily Sergeant -
30th April 2021 
