Last updated: 29 April 2026.
CarparkShark is a planning tool, not a real-time information service. Please read the points below before relying on anything you see on the Site.
Predictions are estimates, not live data
The busyness figures shown on each car park page are produced from typical usage patterns — what an average week tends to look like for a car park of that type, in that location, at that time of day. They are not connected to barriers, payment machines, or sensors at the car parks themselves.
That means our predictions can and will sometimes be wrong, particularly when:
- there is an event (sporting fixture, concert, market, exam day, holiday weekend) that breaks the normal pattern;
- the car park, or the road network around it, is affected by works, closures, or diversions;
- weather or seasonal demand is unusual;
- the car park’s capacity, opening hours, or status has changed since our data was last refreshed from OpenStreetMap.
Capacity figures may be estimated
Where capacity is shown, it is taken from OpenStreetMap data where contributors have recorded it, and otherwise estimated from the size and type of the car park. Estimated figures are an approximation only. Treat them as a rough indicator of “small / medium / large”, not a precise space count.
Do not rely on it for time-critical journeys
For anything where being wrong matters — a hospital appointment, a flight, a court hearing, a job interview, an event with fixed timings — please plan in additional time and have a backup. Check the operator’s own website for opening hours and live availability where they publish it.
Always verify in person
The information you see on CarparkShark should be one input into your decision, not the only one. Operators’ signage, payment terms, restrictions, and availability on the day are authoritative; we are not.
If you have spotted a particular case where a prediction looks clearly wrong and you can tell us when and where, please get in touch.