Car Park Attendant

Also known as:

Parking Attendant

Introduction

Car park attendants organise the parking of cars in car parks. They may also collect parking fees, direct drivers to free spaces, and be responsible for the security of the cars.

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Work Activities

Car park attendants' work largely depends on the type of car park they work in. Some work in only one car park and others drive to different ones during the day.

Some attendants supervise outdoor car parks, working from a small hut at the entrance. When customers arrive they pay the attendant, who then gives them a ticket. An attendant also often directs drivers to free spaces in the car park.

Some car parks are pay and display, where the driver parks their car and puts money in a machine to get a ticket; they then display the ticket in their car. Here, attendants might have to check a group of car parks, such as those located in a town centre. They might have to empty cash from pay and display machines and make sure that the machines are stocked with tickets.

In some car parks, including multi-storey and some supermarket car parks, attendants work from a small booth at the exit and take payments from drivers as they leave. They find out how much to charge by taking the driver's entrance ticket and putting it into a machine; this reads the ticket and shows the price to charge.

In some car parks there are reserved places for regular users. Attendants may deal with bookings for these and set out cones. There may also be a security role for attendants in some car parks - patrolling the car park and using closed-circuit televisions (CCTV). Attendants may also have to check that the car parks are kept clean and tidy.

A lot of the work is outside in all weather conditions.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

Some car park attendants spend a lot of time on their feet so stamina is needed, but others may spend most of the time sitting down - it depends on the kind of car park it is.

You may need number skills to work out the length of time that customers have spent in the car park, how much they owe and how much change to give them when they pay.

As a car park attendant you should be reliable and trustworthy. You should have a responsible attitude towards security and safety. You should be self-reliant and able to work on your own. You also need to be polite and friendly when dealing with the public.

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Pay and Opportunities

Pay rates for car park attendants vary with employer.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Parking attendants earn in the range of £14,500 - £16,000 a year, rising to around £19,500 - £22,000 a year. Earnings may increase with shift allowances.

Some car park attendants work a 39-hour week, others work more, and some work part time. Shift work, early starts and weekend work may be required. Overtime may be available.

Car park attendants work in all areas of the UK. Employers are large car parking companies, small individually owned parking site operators, some large hotels, and local authorities.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have a background in security work or customer service.

• 15% of people in occupations such as parking attendant work part-time
• 16% have flexible hours.

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