Drivers using council-owned car parks across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole will see charges rise next month.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has confirmed updated parking tariffs and permit prices will take effect from March 16, 2026, with an overall average increase of 4 per cent across its car parks and on-street spaces, keeping charges broadly in line with inflation.
Town-centre parking will increase by 2 per cent, while higher demand locations including the seafront will see a 6 per cent rise. Resident permits are set to go up by 2 per cent, with non-resident permits and season tickets increasing by 10 per cent.
The council says all free parking options across the area will remain unchanged.
The changes form part of the authority’s 2026/27 budget savings and efficiency plan, with around £500,000 expected to be generated through revised fees and charges, alongside £35,000 saved by not replacing pay and display machines that stop working.
Updated signage is due to be installed from mid-February, and a wider parking strategy is expected to be discussed at an overview and scrutiny meeting on March 23.
Councillor Richard Herrett said keeping town-centre increases to 2 per cent showed a “balanced approach” and added the authority had “resisted higher parking charges” while still funding essential statutory services.
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