Parking in Poole

Poole is a melting pot of attractions, events, and places to eat and drink. Poole is a coastal town well known for its large harbour and sandy beaches. There are lots of activities where you can bring the family together and discover unique experiences. There’s something for everyone to enjoy in Poole. A few highlights include Monkey World and Great Dorset Steam Fair as well as Dorset’s multi award-winning family theme park, Adventure Wonderland. For shopping, look no further than Castlepoint Shopping park and Dolphin Shopping centre. For all year round entertainment, there’s plenty to explore in Poole’s beautiful natural harbour, which is the largest in Europe.

Much of the on-street parking throughout the city is restricted to residents' parking zones. Car parks in Poole tend to be pretty pricey and can get particularly busy in peak seasons often making it unaffordable for those who have to drive into Poole every day or for those hoping to park up for a day trip.

…this is where we come in.

YourParkingSpace is a great parking service, that offers many different off-street parking opportunities across Poole close to Poole’s most popular attractions. 

Both long term and short-term parking is available with our hourly and weekly booking options. YourParkingSpace is available 24 hours of the day, to make sure you can always find a space to park at any time of day or night.

Take care when parking in Poole, as parking charges on the street in Poole city centre are operational Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm. The Old Town also has an evening restriction for permit holders only from 6pm - 8am. 

Poole Council has a number of resident zones, where you need a parking permit to park in your zone. Most areas are restricted to open parking for 2 hours between Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, except permit holders. This can mean that spaces get very busy though, so it can be helpful to book a space in advance with YourParkingSpace to ensure you can turn up to the shops smoothly!

There are also 3 car parks where resident car park permits are available to residents of certain roads. These are Green Road Car Park, St Mary's Road car park and Quay Visitors Car Park. 

Usually, there is free parking in Poole Town Centre on Thursday evenings from 29 November 6-9pm and Sundays from 2 December 10am – 6pm.

The popular Park and Ride Service with MoreBus runs every Saturday until Christmas from 1 Dec, 8am-6pm, with buses every 15 minutes. Check for council updates on this scheme.

Other parking restrictions to look out for are:

• Pay and Display bays
• Double yellow lines, where you can't park
• Single yellow lines, where you can only park at some times. Be sure to check the signs when parking on these
• Kerb flashes showing loading restrictions

In the rest of the Poole City Council Area, parking restrictions are mostly found on bus routes and main roads to keep the traffic moving in the busiest times. Restrictions in residential areas make schools, junctions and crossings safer.

No one wants to receive a Poole parking fine! On the YourParkingSpace map, we make sure that we only offer parking spaces with no restrictions so you won’t need a Poole parking permit and can rest assured you won’t get any fines.

Poole has plenty to offer on its doorstep, it has lots to offer for cycling, walking and seafront adventures with beautiful outdoor spaces and stunning coastal scenery. Once you’ve taken in the pretty historic old town, Europe’s longest natural harbour, the award winning blue flag beaches and the famous Sandbanks Beach, day trips from Poole can be as adventurous as you make them. Thanks to Poole’s prime coastal location you can blow your day trip out the water, with high-speed ferries to Guernsey in just 3 hours. Or drive along the coast to explore the sights of Bournemouth. Heading east, make sure to stop at West Lulworth, part of a National Nature Reserve.

Poole also has many museums and galleries nearby including the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, Poole Museum and the RNLI Lifeboat museum. Bournemouth also has some excellent museums to choose from including the Bournemouth Aviation Museum.

Head to the YourParkingSpace search map to find cheap and convenient parking spaces in short walking distances from these exciting activities.

Car

Poole is about 2.5h drive from London, via Southampton on the M3. Poole is also well connected to Bristol, Via the A350 which takes about 2h.

There are several Park and Ride services in Poole:

• Rail stations: Poole, Parkstone, Branksome, Hamworthy
• Creekmoor is a public park and ride operating to the town centre on Saturdays before Christmas, and the details are published each Autumn on the council website.

Train

Poole Railway Station is situated on the South Western Main Line and is located in the town centre. The station operates London to Weymouth express and semi-fast services

Many off-street car parks will offer spaces for disabled parking in Poole, but these may be limited and all car parks are different, so check the signs before parking.

With a valid Blue Badge, you can park on:

• Any on-street pay and display space, no maximum stay and free of charge. This also applies to resident parking permit restricted areas
• Any on-street space labelled with the Blue Badge sign. Check signs as some spaces may be limited to 3 hours.
• Double and single yellow lines for up to three hours, unless there is a ban on loading or unloading. Again, check local signs for any additional local restrictions.
• Any on-street limited waiting bay, all day

Parking charges on the street in Poole Take operational Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm. The Old Town also has an evening restriction for permit holders only from 6pm - 8am. 

Whether you are parking in Poole for heading to the beach or parking in Poole town, there are plenty of overnight parking and off-street parking options to choose from. Simply enter the date and time you require into our search results page and you can find a space in time for a relaxed evening out or a fun day stress-free!

Do you have access to an empty parking space in Poole? It takes only moments to register with YourParkingSpace and you could be earning an easy extra income in no time. Register your driveway, parking space or lock-up garage with us. List your space for free. Sit back, relax and watch the bookings roll in.

How to apply for a parking permit in Poole?

You can apply for a parking permit in Poole using the council’s online system. The system allows for permits to be virtual, the permit information will be uploaded to the Civil Enforcement Officers handheld computers in real time. Paper season tickets will not be issued for displaying in vehicles. Applications can still be made by post, however, for postal applications only one vehicle can be applied to a permit as these cannot be managed online. Prices vary depending on the location of the resident zone or beach and park zone, for the majority of zones parking permits cost £140 per year.

How much is parking at Poole train station?

Parking at Poole train station varies depending on your hours of stay, and whether you want to park at peak time. Parking charges apply at train station car parks and apply every day including public holidays unless stated otherwise. Charges do not apply on 25 or 26 December. Weekend Special parking is available from 12:00 on Friday (or from the beginning of off-peak hours if this is earlier) and valid until the end of Sunday (plus Monday if it is a public holiday).

Poole train station car park charges an off-peak flat rate of £2 for the afternoon Monday – Friday from 16:00 – 00:00. During peak hours the rate is: £8.90 (in 00:00-16:00 Out by 00:00). On Saturdays, the off-peak flat rate is £2 for the afternoon 16:00 – 00:00. During peak hours the rate is £7.00 (in 00:00-16:00 Out by 00:00). On Sundays, the all-day charge is £1.

What time is free parking in Poole?

Poole Council has a number of resident zones, where you need a Poole parking permit to park in your zone. Parking charges on the street in Poole town centre are operational Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm. The Old Town also has an evening restriction for permit holders only from 6pm - 8am. There is free parking in Poole outside of these hours. If you’re looking for on-street parking in Poole during the week, most areas are restricted to open parking for 2 hours between Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, except for permit holders. You can park for free in Poole in many on-street locations over the weekend, however, they get full up quickly!

How much is parking in Poole town centre?

There are a number of central Poole town car parks. For High Street Shops Car Parking head to Hill Street Car Park which has 335 £1 per hour, you can park for up to 10 hours at £10. Many of the car parks in Pool operate on this costing basis, however, maximum stay time varies so check local signage in the car park. For on-street parking in Poole the tariff is in operation between 8am-6pm at £1.50 per hour, then after four hours, an all-day rate of £10 will apply. The Old Town also has an evening restriction for permit holders only from 6pm - 8am.