Car Parking

Text taken from the 2003 guide.

Most 'pay' CPs, run by groups like NCP, do not offer concessions or free parking for BB holders. Nonetheless if there are three or four people using a car, pay parking can be worth it, as it may enable you to do many more things more easily. Note, for example, useful CPs at Whiteley's, at Selfridges, and under the National Theatre. There are reduced rates for parking in the evenings.

There are a good number of public CPs in central London. Although often full during the day, they are commonly readily available in the evenings and at weekends. Note that most MSCPs have a vehicle height limit that would exclude most minibuses.

Descriptions of many of the West End car parks are included below. The two main operators are:

NCP publish a listing and a map, and if you would find this useful, you can write in and ask for a copy. Masterpark have a map on their website. In theory all such car parks are accessible to a chair user, as it is possible to enter and exit by the car ramp. This can be difficult and/or somewhat dangerous, and is not very practicable if you are parked several storeys up or down- In such car parks a lift is essential, unless there is a valet parking service in operation.

Many of Westminster City Council's car parks 2-3 disabled bays. Please check the car park listing information on their website (www.westminster.gov.uk/carparks/) for specific information

Adeline Place YMCA (NCP), W1P 3AD

Tel: 020 7637-0964
140 spaces, UG, 24 hrs, 188 cm clearance. The main entrance and exit are on Adeline Place. There are two levels. There is a lift (D80 W85 L155), which takes you out step free to Great Russell Street. To the lift on level two there are +1+1 steps. To the lift on level one is +1. There are two BB spaces on level one, but the main entrance takes you down to level two, and you then must go up a level. Many spaces have large side transfer room.

Arlington House (NCP), SW1A 1RL

Tel: 020 7499-3312
90 spaces, UG, 24 hrs, 190cm clearance. Enter and exit at the end of Arlington Street, near the junction with Bennet Street. The CP is on one level underground. Pedestrians enter and exit via the car ramp, which is steep.

Audley Square (Citipark), W1Y 5DR

Tel: 020 7499-3265
293 spaces, MS/UG, 24 hours, 193 cm clearance. On Audley Square, just off South Audley Street and across from Tilney Street. Main entrance on South Audley Street and exit via Audley Square. Seven levels. The lift (D80 W160 L95) is on the left as you walk in, with step free access from Audley Square. Three floors are above ground, three below, and all floors are step free from the lift. There are sixteen steps between levels.

Berners Street (NCP), W1P 3AD

Tel: 020 7637-9333
96 spaces, MS, 198 cm clearance. Mon-Fri 7:00-19:00. Located near Oxford Street. Four levels. The main entrance and exit are on Berners Street. You leave your keys with an attendant who parks your car.

Bilton Towers (NCP), W1H 7LB

Tel: 0207723-8840
153 spaces, UG, 24 hrs, 198 cm clearance. Entrance and exit on Great Cumberland Place, by junction with Seymour Street.

Brewer Street (NCP), W1R 3HS

Tel: 020 7734-9497
426 spaces, MS, 24 hrs, 198cm clearance. On Brewer Street, near the intersection of Great Windmill Street and Lexington Street. Main entrance and exit on Brewer Street leading to four levels. There are no steps to the large lift (D85 W105 L135) which provides access to street level via -1-1.

Britannia Hotel (NCP), W1K 2LA

Tel: 020 7493-1400
165 spaces, UG, 24 hrs, 182cm clearance. Underneath Britannia Hotel, main entrance and exit on Adam's Row. On two levels, and you drive into the lower one. There is a lift (D95 W140 L95), and flat access from lift on all floors and to Adam's Row.

Brunswick Square (NCP), WC1N 1AF

Tel: 020 7278-9792
272 spaces, UG, 24 hrs, 190 cm clearance. Entrance on Marchmont Street, exit on Hunter Street. Entrance via steep ramp. No lift.

Bryanston Street (NCP), W1H 7AB

Tel: 020 7499-0313
300 spaces, MS, 24 hrs, 198 cm clearance. Entrance and exit on Bryanston Street, just north of Oxford Street.

Carrington Street (NCP), W1J 7AF

Tel: 020 7629-9606
175 spaces, UG/MS, 24 hrs. Clearance 183 cm. On Carrington Street, by the junction with Shepherd Street. Cars enter and exit on Carrington Street. On four floors, and without a lift. From the UG floor there are +10+6 steps. From the first floor there are -7-10, and from the second/roof level there are an additional -3-16.

Cavendish Square (Westminster City Council), W1M 9HA

Tel: 0800 243 348
558 spaces, UG, 195 cm clearance, Mon-Sat 6:00-24:00. Located under the Cavendish Square roundabout. You can drive there from Oxford Street by taking Holles Street, or go directly from Wigmore Street. Main entrance and exit on Cavendish Square. The ticket booth, where you must pay before getting your car, is +1 step. The pavement leading to it is 68 cm at its narrowest. The CP is a gentle corkscrew shape going down into the ground. No lift, and there are three levels below ground from where there are +25 to surface.

Chesterfield House (NCP), W1Y 5TB

Tel: 020 7629-6706
50 spaces, UG, 198cm clearance, Mon-Fri 8:00-19:00. At end of Chesterfield Gardens, which is a cul-de-sac off of Curzon Street. Cars enter and exit on Chesterfield Gardens,. No lift or stairs, and the CP is on one level. Pedestrian access is via the car ramp. Keys are left in car only if no bays are available. If necessary, car park attendants can park vehicle for you.

Chinatown (Westminster City Council), WC2H 7PU

Tel: 0800 243 348
320 spaces, UG, 24 hrs, 198 cm clearance. At the end of Gerrard Street, on the corner of Newport Place. Enter and exit via Gerrard Place. Three levels (eight split levels). Pedestrian entry is step free via two lifts (D85 W105 L152): on each floor there are small split levels (+8-1 steps or -1), but these can be bypassed using the car ramps.

Cleveland Street (NCP), W1T 4JX

Tel: 020 7580-6254
84 spaces, UG, 244 cm clearance. Entrance and exit on Cleveland Street, by the junction with Foley Street.

Cramer Street (Westminster City Council), W1H 3HF

Tel: 0800 243 348
200 spaces, Surface. No height limit, as this is an outdoor CP with a rough paved surface. Mon-Fri 7:00-18:30. The entrance and exit are on Moxon Street, and the CP itself is located between Aysbrook and Cramer Streets. There are +5 steps to St Vincent Street, but it is not necessary to take these as you can easily leave via the car entrance on Moxon Street.

Denman Street (NCP), W1D 7HG

Tel: 020 7734-5760
120 spaces, UG 24 hrs, 195cm clearance. Between Shaftesbury Avenue and Sherwood Street, and about 30m from Piccadilly Theatre. The entrance is on Denman Street and the exit on Great Windmill Street. The CP is small and all on one level. Pedestrian access is by the car ramp. This can be difficult, because the space between the barrier and the raised pavement is narrow.

Drury Lane (NCP), WC2B 5PH

Tel: 020 7242-8611
330 spaces, UG, 24 hrs, 188cm clearance. Entrance in Parker Mews, about 40m from the junction with Parker Street. Four levels. There are two BB spaces on level A, about 50m from the lift (D90 W120 L135) which gives step free access to the surface in Drury Lane and to all levels. 14 steps between levels and to the exit on Macklin Street. A small +1 step to the ticket booth on level A.

Grosvenor Hill (NCP), W1K 3PX

Tel: 020 7499-4331
200 spaces, UG, 188 cm clearance. Entrance at the back on Grosvenor Hill, exit on Bourdon Street.

Holborn (NCP), WC1A 1JP

Tel: 020 7836-2039
240 spaces, MS, 24 hrs, 183cm clearance. Entrance and exit on Museum Street, between High Holborn and West Central Street. There are three floors, all above ground. There is a lift (D90 W110 L140), and step free access to all floors via this lift. There are two BB spaces on the ground floor near the exit, but no discount for blue badge holders.

Holiday Inn (NCP), W1W 5AJ

Tel: 020 7387-7587
65 spaces, UG, 24 hrs, 183 cm clearance. Near Great Portland Street tube station, with the entrance on Bolsover Street and exit on Great Titchfield Street.

Leicester Square (Westminster City Council), WC2H 7DT

Tel: 0800 243 348
296 spaces, UG/MS, 24 hrs, 175cm clearance. At the junction with Orange Street. Entrance and exit on Whitcomb Street. Sloped area. This CP is on 16 levels, and there are two BB spaces on street level. Levels 1-8 are below ground, and 9-16 are above. The doors to levels 1 and 2, below street level, are 72cm wide. Those to all other levels are 66cm. Level 16 is not served by the lift and there are +7 steps to it. Exit/entry from the street involves ±1 step and there's a lift (D90 W70 L170). You have to pay before getting back into the vehicle, and the booth has +2 large steps.

London Marriott (NCP), W1K 5EL

Tel: 020 7491-8038
85 spaces, UG, 188 cm clearance. Mon-Sun 7:00-20:00. At corner of George Yard and Balderton Street. You leave your keys with attendants, who park all vehicles.

Marylebone Road (NCP), NW1 5AR

Tel: 020 7935-6078
150 spaces, UG, 24 hrs, 213 cm clearance. Entrance on Marylebone Road near junction with Gloucester Place, exit on Glentworth Street.

Minories, E1 8LP

Tel: 020 7702-9160
400 spaces, MSCP, 24 hrs, 426 cm clearance. Located between Minories and Mansell Street, just north of Tower Bridge. Car entrance is on Mansell Street; pedestrian entrance is on Shorter Street. Four BB spaces on the GF, by the pedestrian entrance. Wheelchair toilet (D75 ST70 NKS), also by this entrance. Four other levels (NB height clearance only 202 cm) of parking are served by two pedestrian lifts (D80 W110 L140).

Park Lane / Marble Arch (Westminster City Council), W1Y 3TJ

Tel: 0800 243 348
679 spaces, UG, 24 hrs, 208 cm clearance. At the Marble Arch end of Park Lane, by Cumberland Gate. Enter and exit from Park Lane, just outside the congestion charge zone.

Portman Square (NCP), W1H 9FJ

Tel: 020 7935-5310
439 spaces, UG, 24 hrs, 193 cm clearance. Entrance and exit on Gloucester Place, just off Portman Square.

Sanderson Hotel (NCP), W1T 3NG

Tel: 020 7300-1407
50 spaces, UG, 183 cm clearance. Mon-Fri 7:30-19:00. Located on Berners Street, near Oxford Street. The main entrance and exits are on Berners Street. There is one floor, and no lift. There are +22 steps to street level. Keys are left in the car if the CP is full.

Sherwood Court (NCP), W1H 5HD

Tel: 020 7723-1506
70 spaces, UG, 198 cm clearance. Entrance and exit on the corner of Bryanston Place and Shouldham Street.

Swiss Centre (NCP), WC2H 7BL

Tel: 020 7734-1032
87 spaces, UG, 193 cm clearance, Mon-Sat 8:00-4:00. On Leicester Street, which is where the cars enter and exit. You leave your car at the entrance for the attendant to park. Pedestrians enter via car ramp. One floor.

Trafalgar Square (Westminster City Council), SW1A 2BN

Tel: 0800 243 348
213 spaces, UG, 24 hrs, 195 cm clearance. On Spring Gardens, just off Cockspur Street. Entrance and exit on Spring Gardens, with a fairly narrow pavement meaning wheelchairs will mostly have to use the road. Eight levels. A lift (D80 W90 L170) to the right of the car ramp links the odd numbered levels. There are two BB spaces on Level Three. There are -7 steps from the odd to the even numbered levels, which can be bypassed by the ramps: however, most spaces near the surface are reserved for offices.

Upper St. Martin's Lane (NCP), WC2H 9DL

Tel: 020 7836-7451
140 spaces, MS, 24 hrs, 188cm clearance. Opposite West Street. Cars enter via corner of Monmouth Street and Shelton Street, and exit via Shelton Street. You leave your car at the entrance and hand over your keys at the ticket booth, which has +1 step. The raised pavement into the CP is very narrow, and was blocked with cars when we surveyed. Four floors.

Water Gardens (NCP), W2 2DG

Tel: 020 7723 4940
350 places, UG, 24 hrs, 188cm clearance. Entrance and exit just off Edgware Road, just off Norfolk Crescent.

Welbeck Street (NCP), W1M 7HA

Tel: 020 7487-4376
360 spaces, MS, 193 cm clearance. Mon-Fri 7:00-22:00, Sat 8:00-20:00. On Welbeck Street, near Wigmore Street and across from Debenhams. Entrance on Marylebone Lane and exit on Welbeck Street. Ten levels. Two lifts (D90 W130 L110), and all floors have step free access to and from lift. There are +7 between all floors, and flat access from the lifts to street level. It may be difficult exiting via car ramp because of narrow space between the pavement and car barrier.