National Car Parks
Encyclopedia
National Car Parks is the United Kingdom
’s largest private car park operator, with over 200,000 spaces across more than 700 locations in towns and cities, railway stations and at airports.
NCP also had a growing service business, but this demerged from NCP in 2007. It is called NSL Services Group
, and was previously called NCP Services Group. They also operated a bus company in London
, called NSL Buses, and this was previously known as NCP-Challenger.
, central London
to create a carpark. In 1959 Central Car Parks took over NCP from Anne Lucas, the widow of Colonel Lucas.
Hobson and Gosling expanded the company by recognising the under developed status of many post-World War II
British cities and towns. After the purchase of NCP the pair began buying sites in central London
, converting them and large garage sites into car parks. NCP then began managing sites on behalf of third parties. National Parking Corporation was formed in 1986 as the holding company for NCP and its subsidiaries, including the roadside assistance firm Green Flag
. In the early 1990s NCP was accused of planting spies in rival group Europarks
, but Britain's then biggest industrial espionage trial ended with the acquittal of NCP chief executive Gordon Layton.
By the mid-1990s NCP had become one of the most successful private businesses. In 1994 it was a target of a £530million consortium bid of venture capital investors, led by Prudential
, which eventually fell through. In 1998, after a late abortion of the flotation of the business on the London Stock Exchange
, the company was bought by US
-based property and travel services provider Cendant
for £801million. Hobson, Gosling, and their family trusts who owned 72.5% of the National Parking Corporation taking £580million.
The new owners re-focused the company’s operations, changing NCP from a mainly property owning company into a more service-focused organisation in the broader transport sector. In 1999, NCP divested itself of Green Flag which was sold to Direct Line
. In the same year, the company launched the UK’s first private-public partnership – setting up a joint venture with Manchester City Council
to establish NCP Manchester Ltd (NML).
In 2002, UK-based Cinven
purchased NCP from Cendant. NCP began to develop business contracts in the provision of enforcement services for local authorities, vehicle removals, awarded two bus route contracts in west London
; and debt recovery, where by 2005 it had become market leader in its field.
in July 2005 for £555million, with 3i saying it would continue to grow NCP as a service-oriented and public-outsourcing company. In order to maximise the growth potential of both sides of the business, in 2007 the original parking arm of the company National Car Parks Limited was separated from the newer service-based side of the business (NCP Services Ltd) creating two distinct and diverse companies.
National Car Parks Limited (the original parking operator) was acquired in 2007 by Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund II.
Today NCP hosts car parking in all areas of the UK, supporting some of the most popular public services such as London Heathrow, the world's 4th largest airport. They also run the flagship hospital car park located at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
’s largest private car park operator, with over 200,000 spaces across more than 700 locations in towns and cities, railway stations and at airports.
NCP also had a growing service business, but this demerged from NCP in 2007. It is called NSL Services Group
NSL Services Group
NSL Services Group , was formed in Spring 2007 by the demerger of NCP into two separate Businesses, and provides parking enforcement, bus and coach operations, city centre CCTV monitoring, back office processing, "iconic" streetscape consultancy and debt recovery...
, and was previously called NCP Services Group. They also operated a bus company in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, called NSL Buses, and this was previously known as NCP-Challenger.
History
NCP was founded in 1931 by Colonel Frederick Lucas. In October 1948, Ronald Hobson founded Central Car Parks, joined by his partner Sir Donald Gosling after the pair invested £200 in a bombsite in HolbornHolborn
Holborn is an area of Central London. Holborn is also the name of the area's principal east-west street, running as High Holborn from St Giles's High Street to Gray's Inn Road and then on to Holborn Viaduct...
, central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to create a carpark. In 1959 Central Car Parks took over NCP from Anne Lucas, the widow of Colonel Lucas.
Hobson and Gosling expanded the company by recognising the under developed status of many post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
British cities and towns. After the purchase of NCP the pair began buying sites in central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, converting them and large garage sites into car parks. NCP then began managing sites on behalf of third parties. National Parking Corporation was formed in 1986 as the holding company for NCP and its subsidiaries, including the roadside assistance firm Green Flag
Green Flag
Green Flag is a roadside rescue company based in the UK. It was formed in 1971 as the National Breakdown Recovery Club and operated under this name under the ownership of National Car Parks until 1994, when it was renamed Green Flag as a symbolic brand name...
. In the early 1990s NCP was accused of planting spies in rival group Europarks
APCOA Parking
APCOA Parking AG is Europe's longest-established full service parking management company, managing over 860,000 parking spaces, across 15 countries and with around 4,500 employees...
, but Britain's then biggest industrial espionage trial ended with the acquittal of NCP chief executive Gordon Layton.
By the mid-1990s NCP had become one of the most successful private businesses. In 1994 it was a target of a £530million consortium bid of venture capital investors, led by Prudential
Prudential plc
Prudential plc is a multinational financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom.Prudential's largest division is Prudential Corporation Asia, which has over 15 million customers across 13 Asian markets and is a top-three provider of life insurance in mainland China, Hong...
, which eventually fell through. In 1998, after a late abortion of the flotation of the business on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
, the company was bought by US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based property and travel services provider Cendant
Cendant
Cendant Corporation was a New York-based provider of business and consumer services, primarily within the real estate and travel industries. In 2005 and 2006, Cendant broke up and spun off or sold its constituent businesses...
for £801million. Hobson, Gosling, and their family trusts who owned 72.5% of the National Parking Corporation taking £580million.
The new owners re-focused the company’s operations, changing NCP from a mainly property owning company into a more service-focused organisation in the broader transport sector. In 1999, NCP divested itself of Green Flag which was sold to Direct Line
Direct Line
Direct Line is part of the RBS Insurance division of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group that specialises in selling insurance and other financial services over the phone and internet....
. In the same year, the company launched the UK’s first private-public partnership – setting up a joint venture with Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
to establish NCP Manchester Ltd (NML).
In 2002, UK-based Cinven
Cinven
Cinven is a British private equity firm founded in 1977 with offices in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan and Hong Kong. Currently, the company has raised four funds, with the last one signing up €6.5 billion...
purchased NCP from Cendant. NCP began to develop business contracts in the provision of enforcement services for local authorities, vehicle removals, awarded two bus route contracts in west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
; and debt recovery, where by 2005 it had become market leader in its field.
Current operations
NCP was sold to 3i3i
3i Group plc is a multinational private equity and venture capital company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has offices in 13 countries across Asia, Europe and the Americas and had total assets under management of £12.7 billion as at 31 March 2011...
in July 2005 for £555million, with 3i saying it would continue to grow NCP as a service-oriented and public-outsourcing company. In order to maximise the growth potential of both sides of the business, in 2007 the original parking arm of the company National Car Parks Limited was separated from the newer service-based side of the business (NCP Services Ltd) creating two distinct and diverse companies.
National Car Parks Limited (the original parking operator) was acquired in 2007 by Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund II.
Today NCP hosts car parking in all areas of the UK, supporting some of the most popular public services such as London Heathrow, the world's 4th largest airport. They also run the flagship hospital car park located at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge.