Visiting the West End on Saturday afternoon I decided rather than searching around for an empty spot to squeeze in and leave my bike in the rain and in traffic to instead use the NCP Car Park in Brewer Street, Soho.
What a joy.
They have a designated bike park on the ground and 1st floors, two security guards patrolling, CCTV and they have reduced the cost of parking your pride and joy from £4 (all day) to a measly £3. Not bad when you consider that leaving a car there for just over two hours will set you back £22!
Ken can keep his biking bays - I am striking out and going private. £3 for peace of mind all day long is worth every penny in my opinion. Well done NCP.
Euston station (NCP) also have a specific bike parking bay directly opposite the exit barrier where a chap sits all day collecting money. There’s even a barrier at the back of the bay which can be used as an anchor if you have a long enough chain.
Yeah all NCP’s will have this scheme. Just remember that when you go to pay for your ticket, hit the ‘help’ button and get connected to the central place and tell em you have a motorbike, and they will issue you with a new ticket.
That`s great news as i asked a NCP attendent last spring at a car park in Knightsbridge about bike parking prices and he said the same as the car, so i thought sod you.
I used to use that NCP (Brewer St) and the attendants have the extra ticket that you need to get the discount for bikes. When you go back to get your bike out, ask them for a bike ticket. At the machine you put the first ticket in (the one that you got on the way in) and then follow that up with the bike ticket. The price will then change to £3 - pay that and you’ll get one ticket back to use at the gate on the way out. You only had to call the helpdesk when the lads didn’t have any extra tickets.
So, I drove into the underground car park in the middle of Cavendish Square W1 (just behind John Lewis) this morning, thinking that £3 is great value and my lovely new bike gets some more security for the morning.
But when I went to pay, they said “this isn’t NCP mate, you’ve got to pay the full whack. This is operated by Westminster Parking.”
I’ve been parking there for 20 years and I hadn’t noticed. Is there an NCP around Upper Regent Street?
actually thats not true. most do, but you should check the ncp website first if you can (there’s a carpark finder function
for instance, the one near tottenham court road station doesn’t take bikes, and you’ll find out by getting stuck at the bottom of the ramp by the gates (trust me on this).
also be aware that not all NCP’s are 24 hour and close early - jonesy got caught out by the one by our office
also not all ncp’s are as secure as brewer - e.g. the one on westbourne grove is pathetic security wise.
great service in general tho, big thumbs up, shame more carparks aren’t as biker friendly
in terms of other carparks, a couple even let you park for free, whilst others wont even let bikes in (even if you’re prepared to pay car rates!)
Just a quick question about NCP parking (I’m new here btw, did say hello in the Newbie section!), I was thinking of parking the ol’ bike in the NCP near Old Street which is 24hr, has CCTV and takes bikes…but from Monday morning until Wednesday afternoon (have to go away for work) so it would be there for about 3 days. Would they charge the £4 rate for a 24 hour period do you think?
Woah there! M/C can park in Westminster car parks for the price of the M/C parking permit. Which is £1.50 per day. However (comma but) you have to park in the designated M/C bays within the car park. The Cavendish Square W1 underground car park is supposed to have 33 spaces http://www.westminster.gov.uk/transportandstreets/parking/wheretopark/vehicletype/motorcycle/carparks.cfm
I’ve had a look and the spaces use tiny bits of room next to pillars and they were all taken.
Yeah that is correct I reckon, but give them a call or look at their website, they will tell you what is what. Depends where you are, but the Minories Multi story Car Park in Tower Hill will let you park for free, they have barriers to chain your bike to, and CCTV - Very good place!
