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Your guide to driving and parking in Westminster

November 2013

Contents

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Introduction ........................................ 3

Residents ............................................ 4 Information for Westminster residents

Visitors ................................................ 9Information for people driving into Westminster

Businesses ......................................... 14Information for Westminster businesses and delivery companies

Suspensions, Dispensations and Skips ........................................... 16How to apply

Do it online ........................................ 18A summary of parking services online

Step-by-step guides .......................... 19

Please note, all information is correct at the time of publication

Introduction – Cllr Nickie Aiken

Welcome to ParkRight, the guide to parking in Westminster.

Whether you live in, work in or visit the City of Westminster, we hope you will find this guide useful. It will tell you where you can park, where you can’t, and what to do if you’re not sure.

The council’s responsibility is to make sure that those people who most need to drive in the city can get around easily and safely, and can find somewhere safe and convenient to park. We aim to balance everyone’s needs as fairly and reasonably as possible, whether you’re driving an ambulance, a delivery vehicle, a private car, or a motorbike.

If you have a question that isn’t answered inside take a look at our website: www.westminster.gov.uk/parking

Cllr Nickie Aiken Cabinet Member for Community Protection, Premises Management and Parking

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Residents

Residents’ Bays

Westminster residents can apply for a resident parking permit for the zone in which they live. There are two types of resident bays: shared-use and resident-only bays. Resident permit holders can park in both types of bays 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A resident permit for a motorcycle enables the bike to also be parked in any motorcycle bay.

You can now apply online for a first time resident permit, renewal or permit change. These can be done for fuelled vehicles, motorcycles and electric/eco vehicles.

If you cannot apply for a resident parking permit online at home, you can visit one of our Your One Stop Express locations where a member of staff will be available to assist you. You can find the Your One Stop Express service at every public library in Westminster, as well as at various Estate Offices and Community Centres, and some Post Offices. A full list of locations is listed on the council website.

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Residents

Increase to resident permit costs 2013

In July 2013, there was an increase to the cost of resident parking permits in Westminster. The council is committed to keeping parking charges for residents low, and in line with inflation. The last time the price of resident permits increased was January 2011.

We believe that resident permit charges continue to represent value for money and a considerable discount on the cost of a paid-for parking space (PaybyPhone or Pay & Display) in Westminster.

There was no increase for a motorcycle resident’s permit, which will remain at £50 per year.

Prices for resident parking permits will change again in July 2014. See the new costs here.

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Vehicle Type Application Type

Annual Charges (from 1 July 2013)

Vehicles >1200cc postal £141

Vehicles >1200cc online £134

Vehicles <1200cc postal £100

Vehicles <1200cc online £95

‘Eco’ vehicles all nil

Motorcycles all £50

Residents

Disabled Residents

Westminster operates a White Badge scheme for disabled people who live or have their main place of work in Westminster. This is different from the national Blue Badge scheme although, in order to use a White Badge, the badge holder must also possess and display their Blue Badge.

To apply for or renew a disabled badge in Westminster, print and fill out the application form and send by post to: Permits Administration Team, PO Box 5744, Dingwall, IV15 9WW

Remember: If you are a disabled badge holder in Westminster, you must display both your White and Blue Badges when you are parking.

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Residents

Where can White Badge holders park?

• In resident bays free of charge with no time limit.

• In shared-use, Pay & Display or PaybyPhone bays free of charge with no time limit.

• In Blue Badge bays (subject to a 4 hour maximum stay Mon-Fri 8:30am – 6:30pm).

• In a designated White Badge bay (please note that each White Badge bay is for the use of a specific badge holder only – the sign within the dedicated bay will indicate which specific badge holder can park there).

Where is parking not permitted?

• In a suspended bay - this is indicated by the presence of a large yellow suspension sign next to the bay.

• In a disabled bay, which is designated for a White Badge holder for their own personal use. The sign within the dedicated bay will indicate which specific badge holder can park there.

• In other specialist bays such as a doctor’s bay, hospital bay or diplomatic bay.

• On single or double yellow lines during controlled hours.

See page 13 for information on Blue Badges.

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Residents

Car Clubs

Westminster Car Club is a car sharing scheme, provided by Zipcar, that offers Westminster residents a self-service, on demand and economical alternative to car ownership. As a member of Westminster Car Club you will have the freedom to use a car for leisure or business without the hassle and costs of owning or running your own vehicle.

Using Westminster Car Club will give you access to more than 175 on-street vehicles. You can pick these cars up from locations across the city, usually within a 5 – 10 minute walk of your home. Vehicles can be booked online or by phone, unlocked with a smartcard and driven away any time of the day or night.

This scheme will reduce the pressure on resident parking, ease congestion and reduce the carbon emissions in the city. For more information and to join go to: www.westminster.gov.uk/carclub

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Visitors

Westminster’s streets can often be extremely busy, and it’s important to know when and where you can stop or park.

Where and how to park

You can download our FREE ParkRight app on your tablet or smartphone. The app lets you find out where to park before you set off. Before you even leave home, you can use the free app to check the availability of spaces in Savile Row, Sackville Street, Jermyn Street and St John’s Wood High Street. Over the next few months, the council will roll out this scheme first in the wider West End and then city-wide. Find out more.

Off-street car parks in the borough are operated by Titan (Leicester Square), Q-Park and NCP. You can find out more at:

• titanparking.co.uk • q-park.co.uk • ncp.co.uk

PaybyPhone bays

Paying by phone is a quick, easy and secure way to pay for parking. You can now sign up, use and manage your PaybyPhone account online. This service enables you to monitor and extend your parking sessions remotely. You can receive texts informing you when your parking session is about to end. Once you have set up your online account you can select to have receipts emailed to you and also view your transactions online.

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Visitors

Pay & Display bays

Pay & Display bays have a ticket machine serving a number of parking spaces. Payments are made by card only and a ticket will be printed giving you the expiry time of your parking session. This should be clearly displayed in your vehicle.

Parking Cards

Parking Cards are for motorists who are unable to use the PaybyPhone or Pay & Display service because they don’t have a debit/credit card and/or a mobile phone. These cards can be bought at Westminster Libraries and Post Office branches. To use these cards, simply scratch off the date and time at the beginning of your parking session and display the card on your dashboard. The actual amount of time your Parking Card purchases will vary according to the tariff of the zone in which you wish to park. Tariffs differ between zones throughout the city. If you wish, you can use more than one parking card for longer periods but not exceeding the maximum stay in a particular bay.

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Visitors

Motorcycle parking bays

Motorcyclists can pay for parking using Westminster’s PaybyPhone service. They can park in ‘Solo Motorcycle Only’ bays for an unlimited time. There are approximately 6,150 dedicated on-street spaces for motorcycles throughout the city.

There is a small daily charge of £1.00 to park in an on-street motorcycle bay in Westminster. However there is no extra charge if you move from one motorcycle bay to another on the same day.

Visit www.westminster.gov.uk/motorcycle for more information on other ways to pay for parking.

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Visitors

Electric and ‘Eco’ Vehicles

All of these vehicles are entitled to parking concessions within Westminster, though these vary according to what type of vehicle you have. Electric vehicles (powered solely by electricity) can park free in Pay & Display and PaybyPhone bays throughout Westminster (up to the bay’s maximum stay limit which is usually 4 hours).

There are 42 on-street recharging bays within the City of Westminster. At the start of 2013, there were approximately 150 recharging stations in the public car parks in Westminster, but these are managed by private contractors on behalf of the council.

The membership fee is £10 per vehicle per year. Anyone interested (residents, businesses and visitors) can access the points, but first they need to register.

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Visitors

Disabled badge holders (visitors)

In Westminster there are approximately 480 bays set aside for Blue Badge holders to park in free of charge for a maximum of 4 hours, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6.30pm. Outside these hours, the bays are still for the exclusive use of Blue Badge holders but there is no time limit.

In shared-use, Pay & Display and PaybyPhone bays, Blue Badge holders get an extra hour of parking free of charge after making an initial payment to park.

Please Note: You will have to display your valid Blue Badge and clock showing the time of arrival.

Where Blue Badge holders cannot park

• In a designated White Badge disabled bay which has been assigned to a White Badge holder for their own personal use.

• In a resident bay.

• In a suspended bay - this is indicated by the presence of a large yellow suspension sign within the bay.

• In other specialist bays such as a doctor’s, hospital or diplomat bay.

• On single or double yellow lines during controlled hours (except for immediate loading/unloading).

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Businesses

Loading and Unloading

Westminster makes provision for businesses to carry out loading and unloading activity within the city. You can stop to load and unload:

• on single and double yellow lines where and when no loading ban is in force

• in shared use, Pay & Display and PaybyPhone bays

• in resident bays

• within dedicated loading bays.

When stopping to load/unload from your vehicle continuous loading activity must be apparent otherwise a Penalty Charge Notice (parking ticket) may be issued.

IMPORTANT: The rules vary depending on whether you are driving a Heavy Goods Vehicle, a commercial vehicle (delivery vehicles, liveried vehicles, motorcycle couriers etc) or a private vehicle. To find out more visit www.westminster.gov.uk/loadingunloading

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Businesses

Marshals

Marshals are now operating around the West End to ensure that businesses can safely and efficiently receive deliveries and help motorists find parking nearby. The pilot scheme is now set to be rolled out further and provide a critical service for businesses and visitors to the capital.

The marshals’ main role is to be a point of contact for motorists and pedestrians. They help manage vehicle access to the area and make sure deliveries are carried out:

• quietly (for residents)

• effectively (for businesses)

• with minimal impact to the West End transport network (motorists).

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Suspensions, Dispensations and Skips

If you need to carry out works or deliver heavy equipment, you can use a parking bay suspension or yellow line dispensation.

Suspensions

A suspension of a parking bay can be used to reserve space for a removal van for a house move, for building works/delivery of materials, for the purpose of loading/unloading, weddings, funerals, or skip delivery.

You can apply for a suspension online

Dispensations

A parking dispensation allows a vehicle to park on a single yellow line (or in special cases on double yellow lines) if:

• a vehicle is required to carry out specific work

• a vehicle needs to be as close to the premises as possible for loading/ unloading goods

• no alternative parking space is available.

You can apply for a dispensation online

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Suspensions, Dispensations and Skips

Skips

If you wish to place a skip on the street you will need to apply for a skip licence, which may also require a parking bay suspension or yellow line dispensation.

You can apply online

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A summary

There are lots of parking services which you can access online, including:

• Paying a Penalty Charge Notice

• Applying for your first resident’s parking permit

• Renewing your resident’s parking permit

• Registering for PaybyPhone

• Downloading the PayByPhone app

• Downloading the ParkRight app for smartphone and tablet

Do it online

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Step-by-step guides

Pay a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN)

1. Visit westminster.gov.uk/paypcn

2. Enter your ten-digit PCN number starting with “W”

3. Complete the “your details” section

4. Enter card details to make payments

Apply for your first resident’s permit

1. Visit westminster.gov.uk/applypermit

2. Complete the online form

3. Upload copies of the required proofs of identity and proof of address (using a scanner, camera phone and a printer)

4. Pay for your permit by credit or debit card

(At this stage you will be issued with an instant temporary permit which you can print out and place on your dashboard)

If any further proofs are required, you will need to email them to us at: parkingpermits@westminster.gov.uk or upload them via the website within one month of your application. A paper permit will be posted to you as soon as your proofs have been checked.

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Step-by-step guides

Renew your resident’s parking permit

1. Visit westminster.gov.uk/renewpermit

2. Enter your unique PIN from your renewal reminder letter, and your vehicle registration number

3. Double check your permit details to ensure they are correct

4. Upload proofs if required

5. Pay for your permit by credit or debit card

Register for PaybyPhone parking

1. Visit paybyphone.co.uk

2. Enter your name, mobile phone and email address details

3. Choose your preferences: would you like text receipts, reminders, confirmations?

4. Pay by credit or debit card

5. Add the details of the vehicles covered by your account

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Westminster City Council Westminster City Hall 64 Victoria Street London SW1E 6QP

westminster.gov.uk/ airquality

Air quality is important. It can affect your health and life expectancy.

By turning off your engine when you are parked, you will help to improve the air you, and everyone in Westminster, breathes.

We have also asked coach operators to turn off their engines when they are parked and have put up signs to remind them. We have done this to improve the air you breathe.

If you see a parked coach with its engine still on, please let us know so we can raise it with them. You don’t need to approach the driver yourself.

To find out more about what we’re doing to improve air quality in your area and how you can get involved visit westminster.gov.uk/airquality

Improving air quality in Westminster

Help to reduce emissions and improve the air you breathe in Westminster