Barnet Council PCNs: Where to park & pay less or £nil in High Barnet

Motorists, you have a choice. We all use our cars too much. You could save money on parking & petrol and get fit by walking a little. Here is how for High Barnet ( I am sure that some people will say that you should take the bus but if you start early in the morning, or have to carry lots of equipment about then it isn't always practical. I use the tube if going into central London but if going to South London { shudder } and returning late at night then I drive. )

Costs

The cost of parking. Here are the choices.

Time	Spires	CPZ	Council	High Barnet	Edge of
		On-street	Car park	Tube station	CPZ
up to	£	£	£	£
30mins	.50	1.00	1.00	4.50	nil
1 hour	.60	2.00	2.00	4.50	nil
90 mins		4.00	3.00	4.50	nil
2 hours	1.20	4.00	5.00	4.50	nil
3 hours		4.00	5.00	4.50	nil
4 hours	2.20	7.00	5.00	4.50	nil
all day	6.00	7.00	5.00	4.50	nil

Saturday	as above	as above	as above	1.50	nil

Sunday	as above	free	free	1.00	nil

Cash	Yes	No	No	Yes	n/a
Card	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	n/a

Update Jan 2012 : The Spires have amended their tariff to make themselves cheaper in the up to 4 hour category ( ample for shopping ) but to discourage all day parking.

So what do I deduce from the above table.

Choices

If you are visiting Barnet for 4 hours or less then the best place to park is the Spires Shopping Centre. You don't have to spend any money there but it has a lovely Waitrose, the long established Victoria bakery, a bookshop and other shops that you can peruse here, and it fronts onto the High St so it is very well placed.

Don't pay to park in the Spires on a Sunday as it is free to park across the road in the council car park or even in Stapylton Rd itself on a single yellow line as they only operate 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Saturday. Please don't try staying until midnight in the Spires as you will be locked in. The car park closes 30 minutes after Waitrose closes. You can see the times here.

I don't understand why you would pay the council £7 to park all day on the road ( say Strafford Rd ) when just 25m away is a car park where you can park all day for £5! ( Stapylton rd). Is this an example of joined-up government. It doesn't sound true does it. Here are the photographs to prove it.

Stapylton Rd car park

Strafford Rd meter ( unless Brian Coleman removes it )

I notice that the meter still takes 5p pieces. Try putting 140 in for a £7 tariff? Now doesn't that show you how charges have risen since the meters were installed.

As for using one of your supposedly concessionary Visitor Vouchers that cost £4. If your visitor is staying less than 3 hours then it isn't worth using one. Better for them to pay and display or go to the Spires if it isn't too far ( mind the height restriction, this won't work for Transit vans, but it will for cars. ) There are nearly always spaces in the Spires. It is a bigger car park than it looks with a basement and parking on the roof and a lift for if you can't manage stairs very well.

This cost comparison will change if the judicial review, which is taking its course through the High Court, is won. To keep up to date with that process, please click here and then return.

Walk

So if you can easily walk up to a kilometre or a mile then my advice is to park on the edge of the zone and walk the rest. You will be able to breathe in the air, listen to the birds singing. possibly meet someone you know for a chat, pick up a paper at the newsagents and get fitter without trying. If coming from the south then park near Barnet Odeon and walk up Barnet Hill. ( postcode for your satnav EN5 1AB ) This is particularly suitable for people who want to take the Northern Line into London.

If coming from the west, say from the A1, then park in Wood St ( lots of hospital staff do this rather than pay the horrific car parking charges ) although you might have to go as far as the Arkley pub.( EN5 3EP) You can get dinner there and a shandy on your way home. It is a level walk into town from there with some good old large houses to look at as you walk along.

If coming from the north then stop at Hadley Highstone ( EN5 4PU ) and take a look at the memorial to the Battle of Barnet.

If it is already after 2.30pm then you can park on Hadley Common ( just past Pizza Express ) for nothing and the walk is much less.

Meter on Hadley Common

We are all entitled to park in any street as our road fund licences and council tax pay for them all.

There is no compulsion on you to give more money to the council than you absolutely have to. Try my walking idea for 30 days and see how you like it.

For whatever zone you regularly visit have a look and see where the edges are and where you might find quiet streets to park in without inconveniencing anybody. Please come back in 30 days and post a comment as to how you are getting on.

Yours for free

Miss Feezance