Changes to car parking charges

Why have the prices changed?

The prices have been changed to offer a simpler and consistent charging plan for all car parks across the borough. We’ll continue to offer free parking across our town centre car parks, excluding multi story, where a small fee of £1 for the first three hours will be introduced. To support the town centre growth, we have reduced the maximum charge for a full day parking from £9 to £5 in all car parks.

Why are the commuter and retail and leisure car parks merging?

Feedback from town centre car park users has led to the simplification of the car park definitions. By removing the distinction between commuter and retail, all users of the town centre will have more choice regarding where they choose to park.

How much will a yearly permit cost?

Season ticket prices are as below:

• one week - £30
• one month - £105
• one quarter - £300
• one year - £1000

Will parking change in the principal towns?

At this point there's no change to parking in the principal towns. Principal towns and cultural car parks will be considered in the future alongside other transformation plan strategies.

How will accessibility and signage be improved?

We're currently in the process of getting signage to show the live vehicle count to be located at the key entry points of the town centre with the signs clearly showing the live capacity at the main car parks. Alongside the new signs, the town centre car parks will be refreshed with new signage that will offer clear direction between car parks. We expect the new signage to be on street in the Spring of 2025.

How many more electric vehicle charging bays will be introduced?

Initially, 10 new EV chargers will be delivered as part of the exciting redevelopment of the Seam. Find out more about our charging bays.

Town centre car parks

Our town centre car parks have pay and display and pay on exit offering easy access to shops, leisure attractions and the workplace.

Free parking

Parking is free for up to three hours in off-street car parks on Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays. After three hours, a rate of £1 per hour will be charged in all town centre car parks. The maximum stay is 24 hours.

Parking is also free in off-street car parks after 5pm seven days a week.

Please check the signs where you park for any charges and restrictions to avoid getting a penalty charge notice.

Off street car parks

Weekday charges are £1 per hour up to a maximum charge of £5 for 24 hours.

Weekend charges are free for up to three hours, then £1 per hour up to a maximum charge of £5 for 24 hours.

In the Alhambra and Glass Works multi-story car parks, charges are £1 for the first three hours, then £1 per hour up to a maximum charge of £5 for 24 hours.

Permit and season tickets are valid in these car parks.

All town centre car parks now follow this payment structure.

Closest car parks to landmarks

• Oakwell - Market Gate car park (13 minute walk), the Glass Works car park (12 minute walk) or the Seam Upper and Lower car parks (18 minute walk).
• Market Kitchen - Market Gate car park (5 minute walk), Glass Works multi story car park.
• Glass Works - Glass Works multi story, John Street car park (6 minute walk), Market Gate car park (5 minute walk), Alhambra multi story car park.
• Town Hall - Grahams Orchard car park (4 minute walk), Churchfields car park (5 minute walk).
• Alhambra - Alhambra multi story, John Street car park (5 minute walk).
• Cineworld - Glass Works multi story car park (free parking for Cineworld customers – 5 minute walk).
• Grahams Orchard (5 minute walk), The Seam Upper and Lower car parks (5 minute walk), Market Gate car park (4 minute walk).
• Parkway Cinema - The Seam Upper and Lower car parks (4 minute walk), Market Gate car park (6 minute walk).
• Interchange - The Seam Upper and Lower car parks (4 minute walk), Market Gate car park (3 minute walk).
• Civic - The Seam Upper and Lower car parks (5 minute walk), Grahams Orchard car park (5 minute walk).
• Cooper Gallery – Churchfields car park (4 minute walk), The Seam Upper and Lower car parks (5 minute walk).
• Lightbox – Grahams Orchard (4 minute walk), The Seam Upper and Lower car parks (5 minute walk)
• DMC – The Seam Upper and Lower car parks (2 minute walk).
• College - The Seam Upper and Lower car parks (5 minute walk).

Town centre on-street parking

On-street pay-and-display parking spaces in the town centre are clearly marked.

Charges apply seven days a week, 24 hours a day. These are 50p for the first 30 minutes and £1 per 30 minutes thereafter for a maximum of 24 hours. Bank holidays are free.

The maximum stay is 24 hours.

Check the signs where you park for any charges and restrictions to avoid getting a penalty charge notice.

Permits and season tickets

You can buy a season ticket which allows you to park in any town centre car park.

A ticket costs £1,000 for a full year. You can order a season ticket or request a replacement by completing our season ticket application form and emailing it back to us.

Before we process your application, we’ll ring you and ask you to pay the full cost of the permit, or the administration fee if you’re applying for a replacement. You can pay by debit or credit card.

Your season ticket will be ready to collect from the Town Hall reception three working days from the date we take your payment. You can pick it up between 9am and 4pm any weekday and you’ll need to show some photographic ID.

Failure to display a valid season ticket may result in a penalty charge.

Free parking outside the town centre

We have free parking in the following areas:

• Cudworth: Bank Street, Robert Street and Snydale Road
• Darton: Church Street
• Goldthorpe: Market Street, Whitworth Street, Queen Street and the A635
• Hoyland: Duke Street
• Penistone: Shrewsbury Road and Park Avenue
• Royston: Church Street
• Wombwell: Summer Lane, Cemetery Road, Snowden Terrace, Mayflower Way (formerly Hawson Street) and Station Road

Check the signs where you park for any charges and restrictions to avoid getting a penalty charge notice.

Parking at our museums

We manage parking facilities at Cannon Hall, Worsbrough Mill and Elsecar Heritage. Our town centre car parks provide easy access for visitors to Experience Barnsley and Cooper Art Gallery. 

Check the signs where you park for any charges and restrictions to avoid getting a penalty charge notice.

Electric vehicle charging

Electric vehicle charging points are available at a number of car parks across the borough.

You can find the locations and more details on our electric vehicle charging page.

Blue Badge parking

If you're a Blue Badge holder you can park in any council on-street parking space free of charge. Check signs for any time restrictions. Always ensure both your Blue Badge and clock are clearly displayed at all times. Failure to display both of these may result in a penalty charge notice.

Blue Badge holders can also park for free in council off-street car parks, including The Glass Works car park. Please clearly display your Blue Badge. In car parks with an exit barrier (such as The Glass Works) to exit just drive up to the barrier, press the call button and tell the operative you have a Blue Badge. They will then ask for the Blue Badge to be shown so this can be viewed via CCTV and to read out the serial number from the badge before lifting the barrier.

Dedicated Blue Badge parking spaces are clearly marked in the following on-street locations:

• Blucher Street
• Eldon Street
• Hanson Street
• Market Hill
• New Street
• Pall Mall
• Peel Street
• Shambles Street
• Wellington Street
• Westgate
• Wortley Street

You won't be able to park in the following locations:

• Resident-only parking zones, unless you have a residents' parking permit for the zone.
• Pedestrian zones - access is prohibited for all vehicles during restricted hours.
• Restricted areas marked by yellow 'no waiting' cones.
• Loading restriction zones - sections of primary routes, junctions etc where parking would cause severe obstruction - check the signs for restricted hours.

You can find out more in the national Blue Badge scheme guidance.

Residents' parking

Some of our parking zones are marked as reserved for residents only. To park in a residents' parking zone you'll need to apply for a residents' parking permit for that zone.

You'll need to display a valid permit for the appropriate zone when parking in one of these areas, or you may receive a penalty charge notice.

Check the signs where you park for any charges and restrictions to avoid getting a penalty charge notice.

Parking fines and restrictions

Please make sure you check the signs where you park for any restrictions, and park considerately. If you ignore any restrictions you may receive a parking penalty charge notice.

Restrictions are designed to make it easier for you to get to places as quickly, conveniently and safely as possible. We need to enforce these restrictions to make sure that our roads are safe and to keep traffic flowing properly. It's also important for us to make sure that the available parking spaces are used fairly to give everyone the access that they need.

See parking enforcement for more information on parking penalty charges and how to pay them.