National Archives car parking charge introduced

[Chris_Baker]

Forum users may remember that a few years ago the National Archives in Kew had a long, drawn out and ultimately failed attempt to introduce car parking charges.

 

It was only a matter on time. I understand that from 3 April 2018 it will cost visitors £2.50 for up to two hours; £4.50 for up to four hours; £7 above that.

 

Payment will be at a machine inside the building.

 

 

Edited 2 March , 2018 by Chris_Baker

[Phil Evans]

Chris,

Thank you for the warning.

I remember the last attempt. At least, if I remember correctly, the hardware is still in place, so will keep their costs down.

It is a shame that every link I have tried to follow on their website is broken. Where did you find out about the proposed scale of charges?

 

Phil

[Chris_Baker]

Update from a friend who visits there daily in her work as a genealogist. I haven't been in person since my surgery.

[researchingreg]

So access will no longer be free for records if you have a car. Why do we have a U.S, company running our National Records Service anyway?

[rolt968]

I wonder how many people go to the National Archives for less than two hours.

RM

[Loader]

Paying a machine? BEWARE! They get it wrong many times in my experience & can result in the car being towed away for non payment.

A notorious company here will not even accept their own receipt issued by the machine if the machined did not record the pyt right. A real mess will come of this.

[Terry_Reeves]

This is old news for heavens sake. It is a pain for sure, but how about doing something about it? I am a regular (weekly) TNA user. Complain to your local MP;  Jeff James, the Keeper of Public Records and the Department of Media and Culture.  The more complaints they get, the more chance their is of getting a result.

 

State your case as a tax payer. The more the better.

 

TR
 

[MaureenE]

A post on WW2Talk Forum  in the topic National Archives - Kew Tips? http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/national-archives-kew-tips.11433/page-29#post-780192 gives the following National Archives link  about the car parking charges

 

http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/changes-to-car-parking-at-the-national-archives-site-kew

Changes to car parking at The National Archives’ site in Kew

 

Cheers

Maureen

[The Owlman]

Isn't it strange that as family history and amateur research whether military or otherwise is a growing pastime those who hold the public records appear to see them as private property and not to be seen by us the common masses! Remember the IWM and there behind the curtain attempt to close the library to researchers and possibly dispose of their holdings. Only a public outcry stopped that attempt. Look at museums today - all feely-touchy interactive amusements with a "pay your money, keep moving and out you go". The National Army Museum is getting a lot of stick for their new interpretations and our local Civil War museum in Newark is also pretty stark on exhibits but has several "press buttons and hear cannons roar" exhibits.

 

Unfortunately the money for our taxes that is supposed to go towards the upkeep of our heritage is going elsewhere, the Lottery is being used to prop up different projects and putting prices on parking restricts outside London visitors like myself who generally spend at least a day or two at the archives. Visiting by train with all the expenses will make a visit cost £100 plus per visit - way outside my pocket I'm afraid!

Yep let's all complain to those in power...

[QUEX]

Rather more depressing was being informed on Saturday that one of their most expert members of staff (an individual many here will know) is leaving later this month - and I understand they are not alone in abandoning ship.

 

 

 

[wandererpaul]

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/changes-to-car-parking-at-the-national-archives-site-kew/

 

Charges now from 14 May 2018.

 

a disgrace in my opinion.

 

Some Other countries archives are free online, the UK we pay for them.

 

TNA is free to view, and so it should be,  it now charges for parking. If they’re that bothered by others using the free car park, and not using their services, then connect the members reading ticket to the car park.

 

From now on, I will limit my time there. No more popping down once a week to view for an hour, as I live close enough to do this, but not by public transport.

 

These charges will soon rise too, when the TNA see ‘free money’ come into their coffers.

 

disappointimg.

[Derek Black]

An extra £7 wont make any difference between making a visit or not in my case, as much as I want to.

The travel & accomodation costs due to the distance from the east coast of scotland, with even the most discounted rail/air/hotel fares, makes it a non starter.

The IWN "north" branch, 300 miles south of me by road, is just about doable, but they've not the same library resources as the "south" branch.

 

So i'd say you lot who can drive there and back in a day are the lucky ones, only paying £7 on top of your fuel for access to the nations records.

 

Derek.

[KevinBattle]

It's not just the parking costs at TNA, but Congestion Charges too, plus the sometimes lengthy traffic queues and potential money traps of bus lane infringements.

Most London petrol stations cost more per litre than out of town, and what about the rising popularity, especially in London, of electric or hybrid cars?

Will there be recharging points and would there be a revenue stream there?

It used to be a pleasure going there and examining original documents, handwriting and comments that brought bare words to life.

 

Sad to see our National History documents turning into cash cows.

What will they use the additional revenue for? Making even more records available?

Even that seems outsourced so that private "enterprise" can rake off even more cash.

 

 

[Gareth Davies]

The NA isn't inside the congestion charge zone.

[Phil Evans]

I went there last Saturday, to beat the charge and because a 14 mile journey can take me up to two hours during the week, for probably the first time in eighteen months. The car park was nearly empty.

I know though, from past visits, that it is fuller during the week.

 

Several of the nearby roads are only restricted between 10-00 and 12-00, so I can imagine what many of the regulars are going to do and the residents are not going to be happy.

 

Phil

[Guest]

  Those who go to the National Archives may be interested to know that there is a handy device only a few minutes away that saves all the stress, anger  and exasperation about car parking charges. It is called a "railway station". It even has it's own name-"Kew Gardens". And  the great news is-it has 2 different railways so you would be spoilt for choice- The District Line and London Overground. And - by a marvel of  modern engineering- this railway station is linked to 270 other "railway stations" all over London.

    TNA is there to run our system of archives and records- call me old fashioned on this but the clue is in the title. If  you want the convenience of rolling up in your motor vehicle, then why on earth do people think this should be provided for nowt. Archives is archives, car parks is car parks. One has superb free access for it's resources, paid for out of our general taxation-the other is an "add-on".  You might as well complain that you have to pay for food and drink in the cafe there as well.

[Guest]

12 hours ago, Gareth Davies said:

The NA isn't inside the congestion charge zone.

 

   GD-Quite true- but the Low Emission Zone could catch out a few people coming in.

      Presumably this is why we see so few tanks on the streets of London- they don't comply with the emissions rules.  

[keithmroberts]

The low emission zone is a false trail, unless you plan to visit Kew driving a vehicle in one of these categories https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-emission-zone/check-if-your-vehicle-is-affected

 

My drive to Kew, mostly on a Saturday because the roads are quieter, and my eyes complain after say 6 or 7 hours so the shorter day is fine, takes typically 75 to 90 minutes, and costs up to £10 in diesel, (there's no point in counting the overheads of running a car as I need one to tow my caravan around the battlefields among other places).  For maybe 2 or 3 visits annually the £7 fee is hardly the end, and  as one who tended to arrive early, when I used to do occasional weekday trips, I often saw people park up and rush off in the direction of the station.

 

For me a rail journey would add about an hour to my day and cost  more, but as I normally take 2 to 3 friends with me who don't drive, or won't drive far from their homes, it still makes sense to drive.

[Perth Digger]

Perhaps Steven Broomfield could be appointed Honorary Official Advisor on the benefits of train journeys to the PRO rather than by car?

[Gareth Davies]

On 2 March 2018 at 14:58, researchingreg said:

So access will no longer be free for records if you have a car. Why do we have a U.S, company running our National Records Service anyway?

 

Access to the records remains free, it's parking that you will have to pay for.  And food/drink.  ;-)

[Guest]

1 hour ago, keithmroberts said:

The low emission zone is a false trail, unless you plan to visit Kew driving a vehicle in one of these categories https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-emission-zone/check-if-your-vehicle-is-affected

 

My drive to Kew, mostly on a Saturday because the roads are quieter, and my eyes complain after say 6 or 7 hours so the shorter day is fine, takes typically 75 to 90 minutes, and costs up to £10 in diesel, (there's no point in counting the overheads of running a car as I need one to tow my caravan around the battlefields among other places).  For maybe 2 or 3 visits annually the £7 fee is hardly the end, and  as one who tended to arrive early, when I used to do occasional weekday trips, I often saw people park up and rush off in the direction of the station.

 

For me a rail journey would add about an hour to my day and cost  more, but as I normally take 2 to 3 friends with me who don't drive, or won't drive far from their homes, it still makes sense to drive.

 

   KR- at the moment- but it is set to change in the near-ish future.  

and costs up to £10 in diesel.   And the Mayor is not keen on diesel either.   Athough I am sure the matter will come up again when new emission limits are set, better to use the motto of the Royal Observer Corps-Forewarned is Forearmed. The Congestion zone gets the lion's share of publicity but the newer low emission zones start, effectively as soon as one hits a London Borough. Yes, you are right at the moment- but perhaps a new diesel car may not be a good idea if one likes The National Archives. The situation with older petrol cars and emissions is a little more complex (Basically-more of an old banger, the greater the chance of charge *).

    One small variable is the  retail park next door to The National Archives- eg the Marks and Sparks you see when you get to TNA- I do not know what the parking charges are for parking there during the day but I hope some kind soul could provide details. Car parking usually gets cheaper if there are rival car parking  "solutions"-although I suspect that the retail park is geared to deter longer-term parking, it would be good to know what the comparison is.

      My personal preferred solution to awkward -synonym for "expensive" - parking is to park somewhere cheaper nearby and hop on a bus or tube for the last bit (eg park off-street in Osterley and jump the Piccadilly Line to heathrow rather than get  bilked by parking charges there) Let's face it, GWF members are going to be disproportionately into Freedom Pass Land- so if you worked for 40 years or so to get the little beastie, then  might as well bash it.

    And for anyone coming into the centre, then the car park at the Royal National Hotel in Southampton Row/Woburn Place (Just north of the British Museum)  is consistently the cheapest I know- No,I am not a shareholder but have lived and worked in the area off and on for over 40 years. Paying for parking with any car park provided by the central London boroughs-Camden,Westmisnter,K and C, Westminster is extortionate.

 

*  The car, not the driver

Edited 2 April , 2018 by Guest

[Gareth Davies]

April 2019.

[Knotty]

One small variable is the  retail park next door to The National Archives- eg the Marks and Sparks you see when you get to TNA- I do not know what the parking charges are for parking there during the day

 

I believe it to be 2hrs free for customers only. So chances are that you have to purchase something from the stores to a value of £x to validate your stay.

[Moonraker]

On 02/04/2018 at 08:50, Perth Digger said:

Perhaps Steven Broomfield could be appointed Honorary Official Advisor on the benefits of train journeys to the PRO rather than by car?

I always used to take the train, but then for me it was an easy journey, changing at Richmond. Always a pleasant day out.

...   One small variable is the  retail park next door to The National Archives- eg the Marks and Sparks you see when you get to TNA- I do not know what the parking charges are for parking there during the day but I hope some kind soul could provide details. Car parking usually gets cheaper if there are rival car parking  "solutions"-although I suspect that the retail park is geared to deter longer-term parking, it would be good to know what the comparison is...

 

 

Retail park car park

 

(Maximum stay of four hours??)

 

Very broadly I agree with the rest of GUEST'S post.

 

In  larger conurbations there's increasing emphasis on "park-&-ride", either using designated facilities or improvising (eg leaving one's car at a station some way away and taking the train). This may take more time that driving from door-to-door - or it may not, given recent reports on urban driving speeds averaging 18mph and set to fall lower. Too many people, too many cars - what do you do with them? There's talk of a new 15,000-house development near me, close to a motorway and railway line, but one might extrapolate and think of say,  22,000 more cars finding their way into the neighbourhood (and to the south and west there are mainly narrow country lanes), filling up car parks in existing nearby towns (which are already full most of the day).

 

Moonraker

[keithmroberts]

Presumably this is why we see so few tanks on the streets of London- they don't comply with the emissions rules.

 

Actually military vehicles are exempt!

 

 

My 2011 car is Euro5, which means that I can't afford to drive it in the centre of London, where I would never dream of driving anyway. When at some unspecified future date the ULEZ  is extended to cover all inner London boroughs it will depend on whether I have to drive through one of these to reach Kew, which is in Richmond an outer London borough. Either that or maybe buy a tank.

I'll keep my present car on the road for as long as possible, since apart from the cost of a replacement,  I understand that the energy and pollution involved in manufacturing a car almost certainly exceeds the pollution that it will release in its lifetime.