Dorset Council car park price changes from 28 March

Posted on 55 Comments on Dorset Council car park price changes from 28 March

From Monday 28 March, Dorset Council will be rolling out new car park charges in council-owned car parks across the county.

The parking transformation project started in 2020 to develop a more consistent approach to car parking charges across the Dorset Council area. This included a review of on-street car parking charges, council car park prices and car park permits.

Residents and workers in Dorset can benefit from cheaper prices through two new car park permits, which are now available to purchase and replace the 76 existing old district/borough permits.

The short stay car park permit provides parking for two hours every day in the majority of Dorset Council short stay car parks and costs £78 for 12 months.

The flexi stay car park permit provides unlimited parking in the majority of Dorset Council long stay car parks and free parking for two hours every day in the majority of Dorset Council short stay car parks. The flexi stay car park permit costs £25 a month or £260 for 12 months.

Car parking charges and fines fund the operation of the Council’s parking services department. Any surplus the service makes goes into the highways service, helping fund drainage works, reactive pothole repairs, car park safety and general maintenance.

Cabinet approved the new, more consistent charging structure and pricing on 8 November 2021.

Scheduled dates for price changes

The new pricing structure is available to view on the council website.

Beaminster – 4 April

  • The Square
  • Yarn Barton
  • Yarn Barton (multi use).

Blandford – 28 March*

  • Church Lane
  • Eagle House Gardens
  • Langton Road
  • Langton Road (multi use)
  • Marsh & Ham
  • Marsh & Ham (multi use)
  • Station Court
  • *Stour Meadows (29 March).

Bridport – 4 April

  • East Street
  • Hope Terrace
  • Rope Walks
  • South Street
  • West Street
  • West Street (multi use)
  • Wykes Court.

Charmouth – 31 March

  • Lower Sea Lane
  • Lower Sea Lane (multi use).

Corfe Castle – 31 March

  • Purbeck Park
  • Purbeck Park (multi use)
  • West Street.

Dorchester – 5 April

  • Acland Road
  • Colliton Park
  • Durngate Street
  • Fairfield
  • Fairfield (Covered Area)
  • Old Market
  • Top O Town
  • Top O Town (multi use)
  • Trinity Street (North)
  • Trinity Street (South)
  • Wollaston Field.

Ferndown – 29 March

  • Pennys Lodge.

Gillingham – 30 March

  • Chantry Fields
  • Gas Lane
  • High Street.

Lyme Regis – 6 April

  • Broad Street
  • Charmouth Road
  • Charmouth Road (multi use)
  • Cobb Gate
  • Holmbush
  • Holmbush (multi use).

Portland – 29 March

  • Castletown
  • Chesil
  • Portland Bill
  • Portland (multi use).

Shaftesbury – 29 March

  • Angel Lane
  • Bell Street
  • Bell Street (multi use).

Sherborne – 6 April

  • Acreman Street
  • Coldharbour
  • Culverhayes
  • Culverhayes (multi use)
  • Newlands North
  • Old Market Yard.

Sturminster Newton – 30 March

  • Church Street
  • Station Road.

Verwood – TBC

  • Jenner Close
  • Potters Wheel
  • The Hub.

Wareham – 30 March

  • Bonnets Lane
  • Rempstone Centre
  • Streche Road
  • Streche Road (multi use)
  • Connegar Lane.

West Bay – 31 March and 4 April

  • Bridport Arms – 4 April
  • East Beach – 31 March
  • Esplanade – 31 March
  • Quayside – 4 April
  • Station Yard – 31 March
  • The George – 4 April
  • The Mound – 31 March
  • West Bay Road – 4 April
  • West Bay Road (multi use) – 4 April.

West Bexington – 4 April

  • The Beach.

Weymouth – Various dates

  • Beach – 29 March
  • Cosens Quay – 30 March
  • Council Offices – 30 March
  • Governors Lane – 30 March
  • Harbourside – 30 March
  • Lodmoor – 29 March
  • Lodmoor Multi Use – 29 March
  • Melcombe Regis – 30 March
  • Overcombe – 29 March
  • Park Street – 30 March
  • Pavilion – 30 March
  • Pavilion Forecourt – 5 April
  • Royal Yard – 30 March
  • Swannery – 5 April
  • Nothe – 30 March.

Wimborne – 28 March

  • Allenview
  • Allenview (multi use)
  • Hanham Road
  • King Street
  • Leigh Road…

Wimborne – 29 March

    • Park Lane
    • Poole Road
    • Pye Corner
    • Walford Mill
    • Westfield Close.
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55 thoughts on “Dorset Council car park price changes from 28 March”


  1. Can you please advise if my current shoppers permit valid until July 2022 can now be use this in all the new car parks listed or is it
    restricted to those on original list.

    Many thanks

    Barbara Roche

    Reply

    1. There are no changes to the conditions of previous permits, so your permit is still restricted to the car parks on your original list.

      Reply

      1. How much can I get a car parking permit being I have a disable badge for the Christchurch area mainly
        Thank you

        Reply

      2. I can find no mention of Disabled Person’s Parking charges. Where will I find it?

        Reply

        2. I am deaf no speak, i am blindness, blind colour, usher bision and spine metal rods harrington 24 screws, problem my heart amd asthma, i like ask you i had one old tax disco disbaled person exemption permit finshed date 28/02/2022 would i grt one new thankyou. I had one blue badge for car park free just three hour only. Let me know.

          Reply

      3. Totally confused with my blue badge I current,y registered disabled do I still get free parking in the Wareham car parks with my blue badge or do I now have to pay

        Reply

      4. You say ‘ car parks on original list’ but it looks like East St Bridport has been removed and this is the one I wanted to use when volunteering at charity shop next to it

        Reply

      5. Can someone say when Verwood charges will come into force please?

        Thanks

        Reply

        1. Hi Russell, sorry, we don’t have a date for this at the moment. As soon as we have more details, we will communicate this with residents.

          Reply

          1. As my husband has to regularly attend the Verwood GP surgery we purchased a parking permit just before the charges were due to start in Verwood. As implementation has been delayed with still no anticipated start date we have wasted our money purchasing this permit as it is already nearly a third of the way through the validity period.
            Personally, I think it is disgusting that elderly, immobile and infirm people have to pay to park at their GP surgery.


  2. Is there a standard parking app across Dorset to avoid coin or an over-stay fine

    Reply

      1. do you mean Just Park? I can’t find an app called Just Pay for parking?

        Reply

          1. Where do Motorhomes park when visiting over 6m now? Pavilion and Lodmoor now not permitted and I can only presume Swannary with change too.


        2. I agree with Stephen Todd .. the new parking permit price is excessive.. more than double my last permit. Was there any consultation with the users before these steep increases as I have been a permit holder for many years ? Sadly I will now not be renewing my permit as it is too expensive. Living in a village means my visits to town will not happen ..this must affect Dorchester retailers Were they consulted?

          Reply

  3. I realise that DCC is under severe financial pressure but the increase in the price of the shoppers’ permit is huge. Such an increase adds financial pressure on car park users. I think the price increase is excessive.

    Reply

  4. Can disable people park any where for free in Blandford Forum if so where. If disable people have to pay how much and how for long.
    Mrs Fry.

    Reply

      1. I run a business in a building adjacent to the free car park at Potters Wheel, Verwood. We have been parking here for a while and now I am forced to pay £260 per member of staff. This will equate to £2600 per year as I have 10 staff. Is there any way of getting this reduced or not even charging at all at this car park? Surely local business rates and council taxes are enough to pay for local government expenses.

        Reply

  5. Good plan by councils!
    Wait until the population is reeling from covid , inflation up to 7% , town centres and shops dying from people using out of town free shopping.
    My son says that its a clever plan to convert and use the empty shops for the homeless ?

    Reply

  6. HI these new prices are killing the high street shops // also holiday makers visiting the town will be put off by the prices // /// lyme regis from 2 pounds to 8 pounds / not good //

    Reply

  7. I am absolutely horrified that in Sherborne the prices are going up by 150%. How can that possibly encourage shoppers to come into Sherborne? Why are you putting prices up so much when our council tax has also risen by so much also.

    Reply

  8. Will I still be able to pay for car parking with cash? I have no mobile phone. Concerned 83 year old.

    Reply

  9. Hi I currently hold a permit for marsh & ham carpark, blandford! Can I still use my existing one till it runs out at end of June? Need to know this a.s.a.p!!! As don’t want to receive a parking fine once this parking has changed after 28th march! Also am very unhappy about these changes!!!! As I work for Morrison’s in blandford, & usually do a longer shift than the 4, hours maximum stay u will be putting as short stay only in carpark above! I’m unable to walk to work as live out of town! And I’m slightly disabled! So would be unable to walk every time I work over to the stour meddows carpark! Would they make an exception for people that work in the town, & let us park longer or not? As I think this is (very) unfair!! Please let me know! From a extremely cross & unhappy customer! Whom has bought a permit from u for the last 13 years!!!!

    Reply

  10. I notice that although the prices of the short stay parking permits have nearly doubled, the number of car park available in Bridport has reduced. Wykes Court has been removed. Is this an error or just another attempt to screw more out of us by offering us less?

    Reply

  11. There are more car parks in Wimborne than are listed above.
    What will happen to the following car parks – and when – as a result of the changes:
    – Co-op, Crown Mead
    – High Street
    – Old Road
    Why are the following car parks not available for either permit type?
    – Co-op, Crown Mead
    – High Street
    – Park Lane
    – Pye Corner
    – Walford Mill

    Reply

  12. 8.50 am 28/o3. I parked at Trinity Car park by the Coop to stay until 12.30 pm. Usually charge is around £3.50. I had to put in £5 to the meter to get to 12.15 pm. I knew the charges were going up today. The display board still old charges as it did when I returned at 12.10 pm. When I returned home and looked at the ticket the time of it was 07.49. Mr Meter Man must be oblivious of the clock going forward more than 24 hours previous. Let’s hope he is as zealous come the end of October!!

    Reply

  13. Please can you clarify the conditions for the Short Stay Permit:
    Is the two hour stay valid for two hours or less in one car park only in that day?
    And if two cars are registered is the two hour or less stay only valid for one of those vehicles in the day?

    Reply

      1. It was a good question which the conditions don’t answer. Could one use a short stay permit to park in one available car park and then drive to another place and park again in another car park?
        Is there a cumulative limit of 2 hours parking ANYWHERE on a particular day?
        I hadn’t expected this – with a paper clock the limit is applied for one parking session so one could (theoretically) go shopping using one car park and then stop in another car park on the way home for lunch.

        Reply

        1. “Could one use a short stay permit to park in one available car park and then drive to another place and park again in another car park?” – Yes.
          “Is there a cumulative limit of 2 hours parking ANYWHERE on a particular day?” – No, it’s per the restrictions at any given car park. Therefore, it you wanted to “go shopping using one [short stay] car park and then stop in another [short stay] car park on the way home for lunch” that would be fine with the short stay permit.

          Reply

  14. I notice that the cost of the shoppers parking permit has nearly doubled but in Bridport the number of approved car parks has reduced. Wyke Close is no longer on the list and this one of the car parks you can usually get parked in when the other get full on Market day. Is this a mistake or is Wyke Close no longer available?

    Reply

  15. can i park at the swanary car park and pay the evening before for the day

    Reply

  16. I’m due to visit Bridport over the Easter weekend. Due to arrive about 14:00 on Saturday and leave about 12:00 on Sunday. If I buy a 10 hour ticket, will it rollover from Saturday to Sunday 12:00 or will I have to buy a 6 hour ticket on Saturday then a 4 hour on Sunday (at 08:00)? Or is easter Sunday counting as a Bank Holiday? Thanks in advance.

    Reply

    1. Hi Mr Hamer, our parking machines vary so you may have to buy two separate tickets – one on Saturday and one on Sunday. However, if you have a smart phone and download the JustPark app. you should be able to pay for one session to cover your full stay.

      Reply

      1. Thanks-Yes, I do have a smart phone. I’ll download the app and use that. Thanks for the reply.

        Reply

        1. Lyme Regis yesterday £5.00 for four hours a total rip off by Dorset council. Been coming to Dorset for a number of years and car parking charges where always reasonable however since the pandemic charges have rocketed not impressed one bit. Spoken to other people who feel the same.

          Reply

    1. Hi Julie, Swanage car parks are run by the town council so are not affected by our price changes.

      Reply

  18. We have a large family car over 4.5m. Restrictions have been shown on the new display boards saying only cars 4.5m and under can park in the car park. Some of the car parks accepts motorhomes. Are there spaces for cars over 4.5m? If so where? Where are those with larger cars expected to park? 2 spaces? The app doesn’t allow for this. Some families have vans as their vehicle, where do they park?
    Cosens Quay car park appears to have the longest stay available in the town centre, yet has limited spaces, and is also used for fishermen permits. Where are those expected to park for an extended stay close to the town centre?

    Not even mentioned the high cost ofparking..

    Reply

    1. Hi Ali, the 4.8m limit in car parks is not a new initiative, it has been added to signs to make it clearer for drivers so that they know where they can park safely.
      Vans, motorhomes and larger vehicles are very welcome in Dorset, what we ask is that only smaller vehicles use our standard car parks and that larger vehicles use our multiuse areas – which are designed to accommodate large vehicles.
      The purpose of this is to keep drivers and pedestrians safe.

      Reply

  19. In the Culverhayes car park in Sherborne the new charges are the same in the short stay and long stay sections. Surely this isn’t correct? Previously they were different. If there is no difference in the cost why have different sections?

    Reply

    2. Hi, I understand the new charges are the same because the long and short stay sections have been taken away. It is just ‘Culverhayes Car park’ now with no more short or long stay areas. Hopefully the signage pointing to long or short stay areas has been removed, however we will get this checked. I hope this helps, Kirstie.

      Reply

      1. Thank you but I’m still confused. My shoppers permit, purchased in March 2022 and valid for 6 months, says I must park in the short stay area. Should I still park in the area that was previously for short stays or anywhere in Culverhayes?

        Reply

  20. Our car parking permit has expired, the new permit requires an iPhone or android phone, how can we access a parking permit if we don’t have this facility

    Reply

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