Summary of our market study

Since 2020, the UK car park industry has been facing significant challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with road traffic levels dropping by 73% during lockdown measures, signaling a decline in parking demand. Despite this reduction, ParkLet reported a resurgence in demand once lockdown restrictions eased, with a 47% increase above typical April volumes as commuters opted for private transport over public to maintain safety. The average national parking fee in an off-street car park in the UK stands at £1.10 per hour, with London and Oxford being the most expensive cities at £3.00 per hour. On the other end, Belfast and Lisburn are among the cheapest at £0.30 per hour.

Major players in the parking industry include APCOA, Q-Park, NCP, Britannia Parking, and Purple Parking, with a focus on varied parking services such as airport parking, city center parking, and parking management solutions. The UK car parks industry revenue was £1.1 billion in 2021, and it is forecasted to grow by 10.2% in 2022. Despite the impacts of the pandemic, the market size is expected to recover, indicating a potentially positive outlook for the future.

UK Car Parking Market Trends and Demographics Analysis

The UK car parking market has been experiencing significant changes over the years, with both growth and declines that align with broader economic and societal trends. As of the end of 2021, Great Britain alone was home to between 30 and 35 million licensed cars, marking an increase of nearly 40% over the past 25 years. This growth suggests that the demand for parking spaces has similarly risen, albeit with the notable exception of 2020, when car registrations experienced a slight decrease for the first time in 25 years, likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By region, there's a clear imbalance in car ownership rates, with England averaging about 1.24 cars per household. Excluding London, this rate rises to 1.33 cars, indicating a higher demand for car parking outside the capital. London, interestingly, records the lowest rate at 0.78 cars per household, further reflected in the fact that more than 40% of London households don't own a car. In contrast, the South West and East of England boast the highest car ownership rates, averaging between 1.45 and 1.5 cars per household.

Travel behavior in the UK also shapes parking demand, as the vast majority of trips in England (94%) utilized private transport in 2020. Within this, cars and vans dominated as the chosen mode of transportation, accounting for 62% of these private journeys. Public transportation usage saw a significant drop in the financial year ending 2021, with journeys by local buses accounting for 68% of public transport trips, yet this represented a 68% decrease compared to the previous year due to the pandemic impact. The collective attitude towards transportation is another factor affecting the parking market. A large segment of the population, has a favorable view of travelling by car, compared to lower favorability for buses and bicycles. This preference contributes to the ongoing demand for parking services. Parking costs and the associated challenges, such as the time spent searching for available spaces, carry a substantial economic impact.

UK drivers spend an average of 44 hours per year looking for parking, which comes with a cost of £733 per driver in time, fuel, and emissions wasted. Collectively, issues like overpaying for parking, parking fines, and avoidance of driving to shops due to parking difficulties cost the UK billions of pounds annually.

Leading Companies Steering the UK's Car Park Industry

The United Kingdom's car park industry is facilitated by a number of key players who have established substantial footprints across the nation. These companies not only manage but also own and operate a diverse array of parking facilities catering to city centers, airports, and more.

APCOA: APCOA stands for innovation and versatility in European parking solutions. With over four decades in the business, APCOA is at the forefront of the UK's parking industry, managing 1.3 million parking spaces across 12 countries. As the UK's leading parking management company, APCOA offers a suite of tailored services and operates from approximately 300,000 spaces in 700 distinct locations within the UK and Ireland.
NCP (National Car Parks): An icon in the parking world, NCP breathes mobility. As the largest and longest-standing private car park operator in the UK, its name is synonymous with parking. Their portfolio includes more than 203,406 parking spaces in about 684 locations, serving customers with convenience and reliability. Under the ownership of Park24 and the Development Bank of Japan, NCP continues to evolve, contributing actively to a fluid urban landscape.
Q-Park: A relative newcomer having entered the UK in 2001, Q-Park has rapidly climbed the ranks to become one of the leading car park companies in the country. They proudly boast around 70 parking structures, shaping the parking experience for 15 million visitors per year throughout the United Kingdom. True to their ethos, they are on a constant quest to acquire more sites to expand their strategic hold.
Britannia Parking: Britannia deploys over two decades of expertise in the UK's parking management spectrum. Known for their expertise in running a diverse mix of parking facilities, they manage over 800 locations nationwide. Britannia's reputation cements its standing as one of the most respected operators in the country.
Purple Parking: Specializing in the airport car parking service, Purple Parking makes the 'meet and greet' all the more seamless for travelers. By serving major UK airports, the company simplifies airport transitions for countless passengers. While primarily functioning as a booking agent, Purple Parking also takes pride in their park and ride services, ensuring that the journey starts off on the right foot.

Each of these companies plays a pivotal role in shaping the UK's car parking infrastructure.

The private parking market - United Kingdom

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Summary and extracts

1 Synthèse du marché

1.1 Definition and scope of the study

Private parking lots are used for non-commercial use of parking space for motor vehicles. Paid parking lots may be considered "public" if they are regulated by municipalities. Private parking lots are often large, multi-story paved buildings and can be used for short-term parking or long-term storage of vehicles.

The global parking market is growing in line with global urbanization and the increasing number of vehicles on the road. In fact, the global private parking market is showing continued growth and is expected to remain so in the coming years. The parking market is expected to reach $140 billion in 2025, up from $44 billion in 2015. The market size, measured by revenue, of the Car Parks industry is £1.1bn in 2021. The market size of the Car Parks industry is expected to increase 10.2% in 2022. UK road traffic levels have fallen by 73% since the lockdown measures were introduced, and were at their lowest since 1955 – a stark indication of how hard the industry has been hit.

in 2018, Europe counted just under 500 million parking spaces, less than 15 million of which were private. In the UK there ar 17,000 - 20,000 car parks across the country where people regularly park their vehicles. Of those, It is estimated there are around 6,000 multi-storey car parks.

The five major players in the private parking industry in Uk are APCOA, Q-Park, NCP, Britannia Parking, and Purple Parking. While APCOA e Britannia Parking only manage car parks but do not own them, NCP and Q-Park also own car parks in addition to managing them. Then there is Purple Parking which act mainly as a booking agent for other airport parking service providers but they also provide park and ride services.

Across the UK, the average cost of parking in an off-street car park is £1.10 per hour. London, unsurprisingly, came out worst in the study of parking charges, with drivers in the capital forking out nearly three times the national average. The same applies to Oxford. At the other end of the table, drivers in Northern Ireland enjoy some of the lowest parking rates around

Future trends in the sector are the rise in data and integration, the switch to electric cars and the acceleration of autonomous vehicles.

2 Analyse de la demande

3 Structure du marché

4 Analyse de l'offre

5 Règlementation

6 Positionnement des acteurs

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Companies quoted in this study

This study contains a complete overview of the companies in the market, with the latest figures and news for each company. :

Q-Park

National Car Parks

APCOA UK

Total Car Parks

Airparks

Ace Parking

Just Park

YourParkingSpace

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