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Due to technical difficulties, we are postponing the launch of the visitors' car park booking system until Tuesday 14 September. We hope to launch both the booking website and telephone booking line on this date.

Visitors can continue to park for free in the car park until Tuesday 28 September, after when they should book and pay in advance for a space.

There will be a flat-rate charge of £5 per day. Annual pre-pay tickets, offering a substantial discount, will also be available. Visitors who drive to The National Archives without having booked and paid for a space will not be able to access the car park.

The National Archives has previously outlined the details of the car parking charges which were announced and consulted upon last year as part of our plan to make £4.2m of savings in 2010.

In the past, the car park has been free for visitors. However, it was decided to introduce charges because of the need to recover the maintenance and operational costs of providing a car park.

On-site parking at The National Archives is limited, and this system will ensure that no-one will drive to the site only to find that the car park is full.