South Gloucestershire to offer 30 minutes’ free parking in all charged council car park spaces

Drivers will be able to park for free for 30 minutes in any space at South Gloucestershire Council car parks where charges were introduced last year, under a series of changes due to come into effect in June.

The council says the updates are designed to make the parking scheme easier to use, support local high streets and respond to feedback from businesses, residents and local stakeholders.

The changes follow a series of face-to-face meetings with Chambers of Commerce, Town and Parish Councils, traders and residents. South Gloucestershire Council said the feedback had helped shape improvements to the scheme, which was introduced in May 2025.

Since its launch, the charging scheme has generated more than £750,000 for the council, which it says has helped fund essential services.

Under the revised system, the 30-minute free parking period will apply to all bays, rather than only those previously marked for free short stays. Blue Badge holders will continue to be able to park for free for up to four hours.

Drivers will still need to register their vehicle at a parking machine or through the MiPermit app, even when using only the free 30-minute period. They will also be able to extend their stay either at the machine or via the app, removing the need to return to the car park.

Where drivers extend their stay, the first hour from arrival will be charged at 80p under the new tariff, which was agreed as part of the council’s budget in February.

The council said expanding the number of free spaces and allowing easier extensions to parking sessions were changes that local traders and businesses had been particularly keen to see.

The revised approach will also simplify the mix of long and short stay tariffs. Car parks that previously had both long and short stay spaces will move to a single tariff, while some car parks previously designated as long stay only, including Boultons Road in Kingswood and Kennedy Way in Yate, will allow shorter stays.

Most short stay car parks will also allow drivers to park for longer than before, although Bank Road in Kingswood and St Mary Street in Thornbury will remain more limited because of high demand.

The council is also reducing long stay, weekly and season ticket charges in a move aimed at supporting workers.

Usage of the charged car parks has varied since the scheme was introduced. In Kingswood, Bank Road, Cecil Road, South Road and Kings Chase shopping centre car parks have been used more than projected, while Boultons Road has seen lower use.

In Thornbury, Castle Court and St Mary’s Street car parks have performed ahead of expectations, while Rock Street has seen lower usage. In Yate, Kennedy Way has been used less than predicted, while the Leisure Centre car park has seen higher-than-expected use.

The council said its validation scheme, which allows visitors to park for free in car parks close to GP surgeries, the Minor Injuries Unit and Yate Leisure Centre, has also been effective. More than 190,000 visits have been registered across the six participating sites since the scheme was introduced.

Councillor Sean Rhodes, South Gloucestershire Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Local Place, said

Implementation has been broadly successful. Residents and visitors have adapted to using the app well and our car parks where charging is in place are being used well.

We deliberately kept the price as low as possible, much cheaper than many other councils in the region, but we have been listening to local people and businesses, which is why we are going to make these improvements.

We have also been listening to our local traders and high streets and know that they are facing many challenges, common across the country, as people’s shopping habits continue to change. We continue to support our high streets and traders though a range of schemes and initiatives and this work goes on.

We have to balance measures we can take to help keep our high streets thriving with the steps we need to take to maintain all council services in very difficult times financially.

The changes are expected to come into effect in mid-June, once signage in car parks, the council website and the MiPermit app have been updated. The council said the exact implementation date will be announced in due course.