The biggest private car park operator in central London will reduce charges to offset the 5 pounds-a-day congestion charge that starts this week.
The move by National Car Parks may be a blow to the congestion scheme, which aims to cut traffic in the central zone by 15 per cent. NCP, which controls a quarter of off-street parking in the area, denied the move would affect overall volumes of vehicles.
The company has 10,400 parking spaces in the zone--with about 100,000 drivers a day expected to pay the fee. NCP said it would cut all-day parking charges by about 14 per cent. A company executive said NCP expected a "significant" reduction in business in central London, which makes up 15 percent of its income. Parking charges and fines will rise up to 60 percent just outside the zone.
