Britons Spending £8bn A Year On Parking

Britons are now spending nearly £8bn a year to park their cars with prices rising 12% last year.

The rising costs are deterring shoppers from visiting town centres, according to a survey by car insurance company Confused.com.

The most expensive parking is in Knightsbridge in central London, where motorists can be charged up to £36 for three hours.

The survey of 2,000 people found 69% intentionally avoided shopping areas with high parking prices.

As many as 65% said they would return to the high street if parking was more affordable, while 21% believe current parking services do not offer enough space.

A total of 60% of motorists spend between six and 20 minutes every trip searching for a parking space, with 30% confessing to not feeling safe in car parks.

Nearly a quarter (24%) have been involved in a car park argument, with 11% of the altercations boiling over into physical violence.

Confused.com car insurance head Gareth Kloet said: "In today's difficult financial climate, people have had to find ways to save every penny possible.

"Over-priced parking charges are a problem that every motorist in the country has to deal with."

A Local Government Association spokesman said: "Many town and city centre car parks are operated by private companies or non-council organisations which set their own tariffs.

"No council puts up parking charges lightly and councils should rightly consult beforehand with residents and businesses which may be affected.

"Many councils, particularly in rural areas, actually have to subsidise parking services as the cost is not covered by charges or fines."