Changes to car parking charges

Our new car parking charges will take effect from 14 October 2024. Read the upcoming changes.

You can also read our car parking strategy 2024-2029.

Why are the prices changing?

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 are split into leisure and retail and commuter and all day parking zones, with 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 50p per 30 minutes will be charged in the leisure and retail zone car parks closest to the town centre, and 30p per 30 minutes in the commuter and all day parking zone slightly further out of town. 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.

Leisure and retail parking

The leisure and retail zone offers parking within a three-minute walk for shops and leisure customers.

• Weekday charges are £2 for up to three hours, then 50p per 30 minutes, up to a maximum charge of £9 for 24 hours
• Weekend charges are free for up to three hours, then 50p per 30 minutes, up to a maximum charge of £7 for 24 hours.
• Permits and season tickets are not valid in these car parks.

Leisure and retail zone car parks are:

• The Seam (Lower) car park - red bays
• Grahams Orchard car park
• John Street car park
• Market Gate car park
• The Glass Works car park

Commuter and all day parking

The commuter and all day zone offers parking within a five minute walk suitable for commuters.

• Weekday charges are £2 for up to three hours, then 30p per 30 minutes, up to a maximum charge of £6 for 24 hours.
• Weekend charges are free for up to three hours, then 30p per 30 minutes, up to a maximum charge of £4 for 24 hours.
• Permits and season tickets are valid in these car parks.

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 90p per 30 minutes in the shopper zone, and 45p per 30 minutes in the commuter zone. 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. 

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 make sure 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.

Season tickets for town centre parking

You can buy a season ticket which allows you to park in any commuter zone car park.

A ticket costs £978 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.

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.