Parking guidance
You can use the interactive find parking map to:
- Find a parking place for any type of vehicle
- How much you have to pay
- When you have to pay
Find information on parking charges by selecting the appropriate symbol on the map.
Always check the information displayed on the ticket machine before completing payment.
PayByPhone cashless parking payments
By working with PayByPhone, we can now offer you cashless vehicle parking in 7,000 parking spaces across 130 locations in Southampton. You will now be able to pay for your parking safely and securely using your mobile device.
You can pay for your parking by using the PayByPhone app. This can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play Store, its quick and easy to download. More information is available online. Parking payment can also be made via the PayByPhone automated payment service line. The telephone number is displayed on signs in the relevant car parks and streets. To register for parking you will need your email address, mobile telephone number, vehicle registration and a valid credit or debit card.
PayByPhone’s Extend-From-Anywhere feature allows you to extend your parking sessions remotely, in accordance with the car parks’ terms and conditions. This means you don’t have to worry about rushing back to your car to extend your parking session or risk parking fines. This feature is now also available to users with an Apple Watch using watchOS 4, allowing parking to be extended directly from the watch.
Users can also use PayByPhone’s Maps and the Nearby Parking features. The Maps feature allows you to locate parking before you leave for your destination and pin your vehicle location onto the map once you have parked. The Nearby Parking feature instantly provides you with the closest PayByPhone parking location number once parked. Please note that in order to access all PayByPhone features and retrieve parking receipts you will need to register an account.
We’ve brought in this new feature to make it quicker and easier for our residents and visitors to park in the city. This will provide a further option, alongside the contactless card readers, to assist resident and visitors that aren’t carrying cash and encourage more people to visit and enjoy what our city has to offer.
Parking for cars
In the pay and display bays you will need to purchase and display a ticket to cover the time you are parked.
In the multi-storey car parks you take a ticket and pay when you return (except West Park MSCP which is a pay and display car park).
Parking for motorcycles
Motorcycles may be parked in designated motorcycle areas without time restriction or payment. If you park your motorcycle in any other parking bays you will need to purchase a pay and display ticket.
Please ensure that you write your registration number on your parking ticket.
If you wish to park in a resident’s permit bay and are a resident, you will need to apply for a resident’s parking permit. More information can be found on the apply for a permit page. If you are visiting a city resident, please check parking arrangements with them in advance.
Overnight parking
Overnight parking is permitted in any of the long-stay car parks. If you wish to park overnight, you will need to pay the day and evening charges for as long as you plan to park there.
Pay-on-foot multi-storey car parks are recommended for overnight parking as you can pay the full amount when you leave rather than having to purchase multiple pay and display tickets in advance.
Car Club parking
Designated bays in Southampton can be found at Enterprise Car Club.
Parking for cruise customers and other long term visitors
For drivers parking for longer than 24 hours, such as cruise passengers, those travelling to the Isle of Wight or simply visiting friends in the city, the council now offers a £5 per day rate after the first 24 hours (which is charged as normal) in our Bedford Place, Eastgate Street and Grosvenor Square Multi-storey car parks. Simply take your ticket to the pay machine as normal when you return to your vehicle and the discounted rate will be applied automatically.
A park and cruise scheme is also provided by Cruise and Passenger Services.
Parking for motorhomes or camper vans
A designated oversized parking place is provided in Harbour Parade long stay Car Park, SO15 1BA and in the Quays swimming and diving complex car parks near the Isle of Wight ferry terminal.
If using any other bay you must ensure that your vehicle is parked within the bay markings.
Parking for coaches
There are designated areas in Southampton city centre where coaches can be parked for a maximum of 10 hours free of charge and two areas for picking up and setting down passengers.
The new coach stand is open on West Park Road. It's 65m long and can accommodate four or five coaches.
Parking for minibuses
There are parking places in which minibuses can park for up to 10 hours, with no return in the same day, in Palmerston Road (SO14 1NH) and Herbert Walker Avenue adjacent to Mayflower Park. There is no charge for parking.
Parking for HGV
Associated British Ports offer a vehicle booking system and advice for HGV drivers who wish to park in Southampton.
Vehicles not hauling hazardous loads may park at Woolston and District Lorry Park, also known as Oakbank Lorry park postcode SO19 7QT, located underneath the Itchen Bridge. View the location of Oakbank lorry park in Google Maps.
See also
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