Car Parks

Finding a safe, secure, ideally located and inexpensive car park may be a challenge for most city dwellers. It's advisable to know of a few great parking lots in the areas you tend to visit so that you are aware of the choices when you plan your route.

Big car parks are usually located next to airports, shopping malls, sporting arenas, educational institutes, or any large public place. These large, often multi-storied or sprawling car parks often offer full day parking facilities and may include a nominal parking fee. Airport parking offers "park and fly" services whereby you can leave your car at the car park and catch a shuttle to your terminal.

Smaller car parks can usually be found next to residential complexes and office buildings and often designated for use by users of those facilities, although there are exceptions.

When looking for secure parking, here are some questions to consider:

• What days and times is the car park open? Many parking areas are open on Sundays and holidays while others operate just during the week. Still others have scheduled opening and closing times while some are open 24 hours.
• How close is the car park to your destination? Use the mapped destinations on Start Local to find out the exact location of your chosen car park. Also consider what modes of transport are available from the car park to your destination? Is it walking distance or would you require further transport? If it requires public transport, can you find taxis or buses nearby? And if so, do they operate on a scheduled basis, like every half hour? It's important to know this so you may schedule your parking time with catching your next mode of transport to be able to arrive at your destination on time.
• Is the parking lot located indoor/underground or outside? Indoor parking lots prevent the car from getting hot in the summer and from rain but may seem less safe, especially at night. Outdoor car parks are affected by weather conditions but can sometimes feel safer when in full view of the street.
• What is the fee structure of the car park? Is the first hour (or three) free or discounted? Are the charges incremental (increasing with each hour) or is there a flat rate (fixed fee for any number of hours)? Is parking free on Sundays or national holidays?
• Is the parking lot safe and secure? Many underground parking lots offer pre-paid parking services with entry and exit tickets to ensure vehicle validation.

Other factors with which to evaluate car parks:

• Cleanliness
• Elevator (functionality and cleanliness - if needed)
• Maintenance services (car wash, online bookings)