National Archives car parking charge introduced

[Steven Broomfield]

 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.

Hear, hear. 

[Guest]

58 minutes ago, keithmroberts said:

Actually military vehicles are exempt!

 

  Well, at least I will know when a military putsch takes place then!!   I wonder if this applies to ALL tanks or just those still in service. The outer zone emission limit, regardless of any political aspect to the matter, is likely to cause more problems than the Congestion one- that at least has some form of limit as the more the zone was expanded, the more revenue would be lost from those living inside getting a discounted rate. It's a small point now but it has caught me out before when moving large numbers of books- an eldely Luton kept me out.

    As-not having one anyway- that the diesel scrappage cashback is ending, it is probably wise to flag up which way the trends are going.

    KR- I do hope that you keep your present diesel as long as possible -to tow a caravan around the Western front. At least that will be one less on the A303 between Ilminster and Exeter-which has been a curse for me for many years when taking that route back to God's Own Country. I sometimes think that the Caravan Club puts out an alert for all members to be on that road when they know I am nearby.......

    Back to subject: Of course, the optimum day out at TNA would be ordering in advance and going on Tues. or Thurs. for the late opening.

Edited 2 April , 2018 by Guest

[Steven Broomfield]

5 hours ago, 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 confess that it's about 5 years since I was last at Kew (downloading war Diaries for £3.50 a pop seems like Heaven to me), but IIRC I took the train to Putney and had a 10-minute bike ride to the NA. Everything free of charge, thanks to my Gold Card. Driving to Kew is a fool's game anyway - it's about 70 miles for me, straight up the M3 to Richmond, having fought my way through the traffic from about Fleet Services and then a bit more traffic to fight through on the way from there to Kew.

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Steven Broomfield said:

I confess that it's about 5 years since I was last at Kew (downloading war Diaries for £3.50 a pop seems like Heaven to me), but IIRC I took the train to Putney and had a 10-minute bike ride to the NA. Everything free of charge, thanks to my Gold Card. Driving to Kew is a fool's game anyway - it's about 70 miles for me, straight up the M3 to Richmond, having fought my way through the traffic from about Fleet Services and then a bit more traffic to fight through on the way from there to Kew.

 

   On a serious note about all this:

 

 Transport for London has, regardless of any political points, been slowly improving it's rolling stock and it's services -it is not "political" as it seems to be agreed long-term policy to diminish road traffic and boost public transport use. It can be annoying with service closures for engineering work (as with today) but Overground and particularly TfL Rail have been mightily improving- I cannot speak for the main commuter services that go beyond Greater Lodnon (eg South West Trains)  In particular, the sheer amount of money spent on the North London Line, which comes round to Kew, is well worth bearing in mind-  it goes through some parts where it is quicker to use it than to drive-which might be of some use to GWF members coming from beyond the north of London in particular=dump the car in the north of London and come round on TfL as "park-and-ride"- My estimate from experience  is that it saves time as well as money.  The North London now is designed for heavy use-up to date, quick and efficient. It is perhaps the best transport improvement that could boost getting to TNA but it receives few plaudits for its improvements.

 

 

 

 

[Moonraker]

 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...

 

Ah, but for many people that means first getting to Richmond by South Western Railway, and as those of us who follow Steven Broomfield's daily commute in the off-topic area of the GWF know only too well of the "stress, anger  and exasperation" that can cause those less resilient than he.

 

Moonraker

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, Moonraker said:

Ah, but for many people that means first getting to Richmond by South Western Railway, and as those of us who follow Steven Broomfield's daily commute in the off-topic area of the GWF know only too well of the "stress, anger  and exasperation" that can cause those less resilient than he.

 

Moonraker

    

   Which is all fair enough- It might be worth keeping an eye on the new Crossrail/Elizabeth Line arrangements if you are in Wiltshire.  As far as I can see, change at Ealing for District may mean a speedier journey- and I suspect you might be eligible for Freedom Pass (Apologies if you are but a callow youth)  The Mayor has recently indicated that fares will be in accord with existing TfL arrangement- so I would hope that  cost and use times will not be gerrymandered too much.  

[Moonraker]

Get off mainline trains at Ealing Broadway onto the District Line to Turnham Green (journey time 10 minutes), where change for Kew Gardens (five minutes). Or continue to Paddington, take the District line to Earl's Court (journey time eight minutes) where you probably need to change for Kew Gardens (16 minutes).

 

I did something comparable the other day to get to Putney.

 

(I wish I'd realised about the Ealing Broadway option when I used to visit the National Archives in the late 1990s. I used whatever South Western Trains was then to get to Richmond)

 

Moonraker

 

 

[keithmroberts]

I think the Freedom Pass is a London only enhanced variant of the Bus Pass that is available across England. My Portsmouth issued pass works on local bus routes in England, but does not have the extra options included in the Freedom Pass.

[Guest]

24 minutes ago, keithmroberts said:

I think the Freedom Pass is a London only enhanced variant of the Bus Pass that is available across England. My Portsmouth issued pass works on local bus routes in England, but does not have the extra options included in the Freedom Pass.

  I think the Freedom Pass is national and carries discounts on TfL as well-  its the one that comes along at 66. Yes, TfL do have a 60+ Oyster Card-wot I use- but I believe that it switches to the Freedom Pass in due course. Thus, if you have a Freedom Pass -primarily for Rail,then it is worth checking the TfL site for savings if travelling in London. It extends quite a way out, the more so off-peak and if used wisely can create quite a saving.

[keithmroberts]

Sorry - I was unclear - my understanding was that  the F P is only available to London residents.

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/adult-discounts-and-concessions/freedom-pass

 

Keith

[Guest]

16 hours ago, keithmroberts said:

Sorry - I was unclear - my understanding was that  the F P is only available to London residents.

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/adult-discounts-and-concessions/freedom-pass

 

Keith

 

   Not needed- I am unclear myself-having had "retirement" gone forward several years with various governmental changes. I will try to work out what NATIONAL "freedom pass" concessions are for other GWF from outside London. I think it might still save a bit by switching other than at main termini- TfL is now a sprawling beast- I can go to Gatwick for nowt, for instance.

[Moonraker]

I have a three-year National Railcard, and recoup the cost within a few months. (Memo: mine expires in July and when this happened back in 2015 I didn't realise and got caught - I just had to pay the difference between the normal and Railcard fares for an eight-mile journey.)

 

I use my locally-issued bus pass mostly in London, but the on-board scanners can't read it - or they couldn't five years ago - and I just wave it at the driver. For travel into London, I get a one-day Travel Card for train and Tube; using my Railcard gets me 1/3rd off national rail fares and I can get into my London terminus for 1002. But I'm limited as to what return trains I can take back in the rush hour (1630-1930).

 

It's been suggested that I might save a bit my just getting a return rail ticket to the terminus and then using an Oyster card on the Tube.  I did look into this once, and thought that any modest saving wasn't worth the bother.

 

Moonraker

Edited 3 April , 2018 by Moonraker

[Guest]

12 hours ago, Moonraker said:

It's been suggested that I might save a bit my just getting a return rail ticket to the terminus and then using an Oyster card on the Tube.  I did look into this once, and thought that any modest saving wasn't worth the bother.

  MR-Of course, it is an individual thing to balance out cost against time and bother. Would that we were back in the Conan Doyle world of Sherlock Holmes, when we would need not bother with such mundane things as a railway timetable and booking in advance- ah, for the days when there would always be a small engine with steam up just waiting  for one.  ....As if.

[keithmroberts]

For those of us who only use the underground occasionally an Oyster card is not essential. A contactless debit or credit card can just be swiped on entering and leaving the network without putting cash on an Oystercard. I owe that information to my son who lived in London until recently.  https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/

 

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, keithmroberts said:

For those of us who only use the underground occasionally an Oyster card is not essential. A contactless debit or credit card can just be swiped on entering and leaving the network without putting cash on an Oystercard. I owe that information to my son who lived in London until recently.  https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/

 

 

  And to add to that-  payment by card charges at the lowest rate for the day over multiple use. If you make sufficient journeys so that it would be cheaper to buy a day ticket (of any sort), the technology  gets the best deal. One small thing to remember si that TfL buses are now cashless- ticket,card or oyster only.

[delta]

Given the cost of rail to London, and the pain of trying to get from Clapham Junction to Kew and back, I normally travel to the NA by car.  Pity that the car parking fee has been introduced but it will still be cheaper by car.

 

I had assumed that the new fee is to deter those using the shopping centre next door.  It could, alternatively, be to stop those in the Surrey Hampshire border area from parking at Kew and then travelling into town by tube from the aforementioned railway station.

[sotonmate]

The charge might also have something to do with the enormous housing blocks that have appeared very nearby , unless I have missed the large subterranean provision for parkage !

[keithmroberts]

1 hour ago, sotonmate said:

The charge might also have something to do with the enormous housing blocks that have appeared very nearby , unless I have missed the large subterranean provision for parkage !

 

Good point. I thought for a moment that I had taken a wrong turning when I visited last month. That might well have been the proverbial straw.

[Terry_Reeves]

I doubt that very much.  There was an attempt to do the same thing a few years ago, that is why the barriers that are in place now were installed. One of the explanations was that they were worried vehicles from the then newly opened shopping centre would use the car park, but that never was the case.  The parking fees were to be used to pay for the maintenance of the shrubbery surrounding it.  The real reason was, as now, is that central  government is putting the squeeze on all their departments, including the Department of Media and Culture. 

 

TR

 

 

 

[David_Underdown]

The new development is going to have a doctors' surgery and other things in, and very limited visitor parking, so as I understand it, so that is indeed part of the reason for a charge being introduced.  Of course the car park also costs money to run, maintain etc

[Terry_Reeves]

David

 

See my post No 44 just above yours, that is exactly the excuse they used last time. It didn't happen because users saw through the flim-flam and  fuss was made about it. 

 

TR

[Gareth Davies]

As Terry says, the infrastructure has been in place for quite some time.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Gareth Davies said:

As Terry says, the infrastructure has been in place for quite some time.

 

   The other side of the coin is that there IS car parking at TNA. Much of the problem of charging and restricted access is the long-term London-wide policy of making planning permission for new flats,etc without any car parking. That puts the crunch on all other car parking and has a displacement effect-  Previously empty slots become full of displaced new non-car lot flat dwellers-and then the locals start asking for formal controls.   In addition, there are major displacement effects all across London from the new Elizabeth Line Crossrail.

    While just as  grumbly (if not more) than other GWF  members I do recognize that the parking charge level could have  been a lot worse- It is low enough not to deter the casual visitor on a one-off or infrequest basis (such as a Mr. KR of Portsmouth)-yet high enough to deter  residents or commuters (£7 a day- over £2000 a year,for Mon-Sat). Thus, could have been a lot worse. Got off lightly????   OK.I'll start running

Edited 4 April , 2018 by Guest

[Phil Wood]

Whie I would obviouly prefer to park for free I can't say that I am too bothered by £7 for the whole day.  I am an hour from TNA by car, a train journey would involved a similar car parking charge at my local station, a couple of hours on trains, buses or foot and cost more than the diesel I use (especially so as my wife usually accompanies me at no extra cost in the car, but double the train fare - and she has to pay on the bus).

 

As several have noted, the archives remain free to use, it's my choice how I get there.  

 

At least I won't end up parking in the retail park again because the TNA park is full.

[Gareth Davies]

From the NA website:

 

Please note, due to operational issues, charges in the visitor car park will be introduced on 14 May rather than the originally advertised date of 3 April. This news story has been amended to reflect this change. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.