South Gloucestershire Overhauls Car Park Charging to Support High Streets
New updates to South Gloucestershire’s car park charging system came into effect on Monday 29 June, with revisions now live across all physical signage, payment machines, and the MiPermit app.
The biggest change allows drivers to park for up to 30 minutes for free in any bay, replacing the old system of limited, specifically marked spaces. To access this free window, motorists must register their vehicle at a machine or on the app immediately upon arrival. Disabled blue badge holders are unaffected and retain up to four hours of free parking.
Drivers can easily extend their stays remotely via the app or machine, with the first hour costing 80p under the February budget tariff. To simplify navigation, mixed-stay car parks have switched to a single, straightforward tariff. Long-stay lots like Boultons Road in Kingswood and Kennedy Way in Yate now permit shorter stays, while most short-stay lots have extended maximum limits—except for high-demand areas like Bank Road (Kingswood) and St Mary Street (Thornbury). Commuter-focused long-stay, weekly, and season tickets have also seen price cuts.
Since its May 2025 launch, the scheme has generated over £750,000 for vital council services. Meanwhile, a successful health validation scheme near local GP surgeries and Yate’s Minor Injuries Unit has logged over 190,000 free visits.
South Gloucestershire Council Cabinet Member for Communities and Local Place, Councillor Sean Rhodes, said: “We introduced the scheme because as a council we need to be able to balance the books and to fund the vital services that so many people rely on.
“The scheme has been effective, with most drivers adapting to using the app and our charged-for car parks are being used well.
“We deliberately kept the price as low as possible, but we always wanted to engage with local people and businesses about how the scheme was working on the ground. As much as everyone would prefer not to pay for parking at all, we’ve had some really good discussions that have led to the suite of changes and improvements.
“We know many local businesses and high streets are facing challenges, which is happening across the country. We continue to support our high streets and traders though a range of schemes and initiatives and this work goes on.
“We have taken a balanced approach, which we believe will help keep our high streets thriving, while also underpinning our other vital work, supporting people young and old, and everyone in between, who relies on council services.”
While the new rules apply universally, old bay markings will take a few weeks to physically remove. Drivers may park for up to 30 minutes for free in any bay and ignore the old markings.
The following page shows the current and updated car parking tariffs here
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