Bournemouth town centre parking: 2026 car park prices compared

Town centre car parks and prices

Every price below was read from BCP Council’s page for each car park on 11 October 2026. BCP’s pages carry no “valid from” date, so treat them as the tariffs in force on that day. Only the Pavilion changes price with the season; the rest charge the same all year.

The four £6.40 car parks also sell a 1-hour ticket for £2.10. The £12.90 group starts at 2 hours (£3.30), so a short stop there costs the same as two hours. The Pavilion’s summer season runs 15 March to 31 October; its winter prices apply from 1 November 2026 to 14 March 2027.

Where is the cheapest all-day parking?

Berry Court, Central, Madeira Road and Cotlands Road, all at £6.40 for 24 hours. Between them they hold 1,341 spaces, all with postcodes in BH1, the eastern half of the centre. That is half the £12.90 charged at Avenue Road, Winter Gardens and Richmond Gardens, and under a quarter of the Pavilion’s £28 summer rate.

Cotlands Road also lists coach prices, for after 5pm and at weekends: £6.40 for up to 4 hours and £12.90 for 24 hours.

For a beach day, a £6.40 ticket and a walk to the sand can cost less than parking on the seafront, where the car parks beside the pier charge £28 for 24 hours in summer. The seafront car parks and their seasonal prices are compared in Bournemouth beach parking.

Overnight parking in the town centre

Charges at every car park in the table apply 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so leaving a car overnight means buying the 24-hour ticket. There is no free evening window at any of them. The cheapest overnight stay is the same £6.40 at the four BH1 car parks.

Town Hall Annexe works differently. Between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, it is for council staff and permit holders only. The public can park there from 5pm to 9am on weekdays, all day at weekends and on bank holidays, at the same £3.30 to £12.90 tariff.

Hotel car parks are a separate question: several hotels charge less than a public car park, and some park guests free only when the room is booked direct. That comparison is in Bournemouth hotels with parking.

Height limits and access at night

Richmond Gardens has the lowest barrier of the large car parks, at 1.91 metres, which can rule out vans, some people carriers and cars with roof boxes. Avenue Road and Berry Court allow 2 metres, and Central, Madeira Road, Cotlands Road, Winter Gardens and Town Hall Annexe allow 2.1 metres. BCP gives no height limit for West Hill, Richmond Hill surface, Braidley Road Bridge or the Pavilion.

At Richmond Gardens, the lifts and internal stairs close from 5pm to 8am Monday to Saturday, and from 4pm to 8am on Sunday. BCP’s page gives two other ways in on foot: the rear external steps from Old Christchurch Road (level 1) and the vehicle entrance at the top of Richmond Hill (level 3).

How to pay

All BCP car parks take RingGo, by app, online or on 01202 232 000, and BCP says no convenience fee is charged at its pay and display locations (BCP Council: pay for parking). Some car parks have their own limits:

• Berry Court: card or phone only, no cash. Machines take Visa, Maestro and Mastercard, including contactless and phone wallets, but not American Express.
• Avenue Road: BCP’s page says cash payments are currently unavailable.
• West Hill, Braidley Road Bridge and Town Hall Annexe: listed as phone, online and app only, with no card machine.

Is there a park and ride in Bournemouth?

No. BCP Council’s car park finder lists no park and ride site. The most recent scheme on BCP’s website is a summer beach service from 2021, from Kings Park to Boscombe Pier, with £5 parking and a free bus every 15 minutes (BCP Council, 2021). That scheme ran on set summer dates, and no later one appears on BCP’s site.

The nearest thing to it now is choosing a cheaper car park a little further out and walking in, which is what the £6.40 group allows. Arriving by air is covered separately in getting from Bournemouth Airport to the town.

Fines in council car parks and on-street bays

BCP issues penalty charge notices at two levels, depending on the contravention. The higher level is £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days. The lower level is £50, reduced to £25 if paid within 14 days (BCP Council: parking fines).

Those are the standard rates in the town centre. A higher-fine trial ran on seafront roads during August 2026 only; its amounts are on the beach parking page.

Electric vehicle charging

BCP lists charging points at five town-centre car parks: Town Hall Annexe (5), Richmond Gardens (4), West Hill (2), Madeira Road (2) and Richmond Hill surface (2). The other car parks in the table have none listed. BCP’s pages do not give charging prices or connector types.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I park for the BIC or the Pavilion Theatre?

The Pavilion car park is next to the theatre, but at £28 for 24 hours in summer it is the most expensive council car park in the centre. Car parks, walking routes and event-night options for both venues are compared in BIC and Pavilion parking.

Is town centre parking cheaper in winter?

Only at the Pavilion, where 24 hours drops from £28 to £20.90 on 1 November. Every other car park in the table charges the same all year. The seafront car parks have much bigger winter cuts.

Can I leave my car for a whole week?

BCP’s town-centre car parks sell tickets of up to 24 hours, with no weekly ticket listed. Avenue Road sells a monthly permit for £93, bought online, which BCP lists on the car park’s page.

Does Blue Badge parking work in these car parks?

BCP’s Blue Badge guidance says the badge is for on-street parking, and that off-street car parks have their own rules shown on signs (BCP Council: using your Blue Badge). Check the tariff board on arrival. Disabled bay numbers per car park are on each BCP page linked in the table.

Related guides

• Bournemouth beach parking: seafront car parks, from Alum Chine to Hengistbury Head
• Sandbanks parking: car parks and roads on the peninsula, with winter free parking
• Bournemouth hotels with parking: hotel parking charges and booking-direct terms
• BIC and Pavilion parking
• Where to stay in Bournemouth