The exact locations have been whispered around the internet like a juicy secret. Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, and Edinburgh are the unlucky cities saying goodbye to one car park each. If you live there, you might want to wave a fond farewell to that empty concrete slab you never visited.
For the record, NCP hasn’t named the specific sites yet—probably to avoid a flood of emotional goodbyes. “Goodnight, sweet prince of parking bay 47! You will be missed!” Honestly, I get it. I’ve had emotional attachments to parking spots that were conveniently close to a coffee shop.
But Why Are They “Unviable”?
Let’s break this down like a bad break-up text. Fewer people are driving into city centers. Thanks to remote work, cheaper trains, and the fact that everyone suddenly decided walking is good for them. Plus, those eye-watering hourly rates don’t exactly scream “park here!”
Here’s a little math for you: if a car park charges £20 a day but only gets two cars, that’s £40—which barely covers the cost of the lights and the attendant’s coffee. NCP is essentially running a charity for abandoned vehicles. No wonder they’re pulling the plug.
And let’s not forget the rise of parking apps and cashless payments. It’s like the car park industry is being dragged into the future, kicking and screaming while holding a paper ticket. “I just want to pay with coins, dammit!”
