International Removals from Durham

The zone has one way in. The council writes that “The charge point is at the entry to the Durham City peninsula, on Silver Street”, and that it leads to the cathedral, the Market Place and the shops around them. A number plate camera records vehicles at the junction of Silver Street and Claypath, so a lorry is logged when it enters and again when it leaves.

Paying is a deadline, not a formality. “You must pay the charge in advance (up to 2 weeks before you use the zone) or within 24 hours of entering the zone.” If that is missed, “the registered keeper of the vehicle may receive a £50 fine (Penalty Charge Notice)”, and the council does not take payment after the event. The exemption lists we read name buses, taxis, emergency vehicles and similar, and none of them names a removal vehicle, so plan on paying for the lorry and for any van that follows it.

Notice is firm: “We require seven days notice”. The price is stated as “Parking bay suspension - £20 per bay per day (plus £30 administration fee).” A single bay for one day therefore costs £50 and for two days £70. “Changes to a suspension start date (if within seven days of the required suspension) will cost £30.” The council adds a caution: “We cannot guarantee that we can keep bays free.”

A waiver is a different product. It costs, in the council's words, “Parking waiver - £35 per vehicle per day”. “A waiver does not reserve a parking space and does not prevent other vehicles from parking nearby.” Applications go in at least three days ahead: “Applications must be received a minimum of three days before the waiver start date.” Because a removal lorry needs the space in front of the door, not just permission to stop, the suspension is the one that matches the job.