It's an industry that has few fans, but how does it really work, and will there be enough spaces in future for the UK's growing fleet of cars?
Evan Davis looks under the bonnet of a much-maligned industry to find out where the money goes and why motorists have to pay in the first place. The government has been clamping down on 'cowboy' operators - can this, along with technology like Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, make car parks fairer?
With changing travel patterns post-pandemic, and growing restrictions on cars in towns and cities, we ask whether car parks can stay profitable. And, if more of them are repurposed into flats or other uses, will motorists face even more competition for spaces, and higher prices, in future?
Evan is joined by:
Adam Bidder, managing director, Q-Park UK and Ireland; Ashley Bijster, managing Director, Modaxo; Anthony Eskinazi, founder and president, JustPark.
Production team:
Producer: Simon Tulett Editor: Matt Willis Sound: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison