A study by Indigo Car Hire has ranked St Ives, Cornwall as the worst place to park in the UK during the six-week summer holidays. The pretty fishing town scored 92 out of 100 based on factors including average parking costs, number of parking spots per 1,000 visitors, and car parks within a mile of the town centre, as well as Google reviews mentioning parking problems.
Cornwall dominates the list
St Ives is not alone: Padstow came fourth (85/100) and Newquay tenth (75/100). Whitby in North Yorkshire took second place with 89/100, followed by Tenby in Wales (87/100), Salcombe in Devon (82/100), Southwold in Suffolk (80/100), Bournemouth (79/100), Brighton (77/100), and Robin Hood's Bay (76/100).
Travelers have shared their frustrations online. One TripAdvisor reviewer said: 'Felt we should visit as we're in Cornwall for a week, but having failed to find any parking anywhere we were glad to get out.' Another advised: 'We had to re-attempt visiting St Ives due to a lack of parking. In order to park we had to come between 8am-9am, just FYI.' A third described it as a 'Very nice place... but totally crowded with tourists in July. You can hardly find a parking space which are very expensive!'
Local solutions
Visit St Ives recommends using a park and ride just outside town or parking at St Erth station and taking the 15-minute St Ives Bay Line train, which offers coastal views. In Whitby, some visitors park in neighbouring Sandsend and walk 45 minutes into town.
Cherie Carter, managing director at Indigo Car Hire, said: 'According to an RAC survey earlier this year, a third of drivers struggle with parking anxiety. The aim from this study is not to discourage drivers from visiting hotspots like St Ives or Whitby, but to help travellers enjoy their summer break with fewer unexpected frustrations when they arrive.'
