Pay-and-display machines

Sign for pay and display parking bays

If you cannot find the information you are looking for on these web pages contact the Parking Shop.

As part of our continued commitment to improving the quality of services we provide, we are interested to know what you think of the Parking web pages. If you have any comments you can send them to us using the Parking Feedback form.

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What is a controlled parking zone (CPZ)?

A controlled parking zone is an area where we have limited the number of parking places available. You will find the times when these limits apply on large signs as you enter the zone. We will mark all the roads with yellow lines where parking is not allowed. If yellow-line restrictions apply at different times to the controlled parking zone times, we will show the yellow-line restrictions on separate signs.

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Why do we need pay-and-display machines?

When you need somewhere to park, it’s easy to think of yellow lines and pay-and-display machines as nothing but a nuisance. But, in recent years, we have seen such a large rise in the number of vehicles on our roads that we have to decide where people can, and cannot, park.

When we enforce these parking rules properly, it helps us all by making sure:

there is less illegal parking in our borough
traffic is reduced
our roads are safer for pedestrians and cyclists
our emergency and service vehicles have better access to our homes, schools and so on
our public transport is more efficient
we spend less money on repairing pavements
we reduce exhaust fumes and so have a cleaner environment.

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When can I park in a pay-and-display machine bay?

You can park in a pay-and-display machine bay in the following circumstances.

If you have paid the correct parking fee and you have clearly displayed the ticket in your vehicle. You can park from 30 minutes up to 10 hours, depending on where you park in the borough. (Pay-and-display machines accept 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p and £1 coins.)
If you hold a residents’ parking permit, you can park in a pay-and-display machine bay between 8.30am and 9.30am, and between 5.30pm and 6.30 pm, from Monday to Friday
You can park in a pay-and-display machine bay all day Sunday, whether you hold a residents’ parking permit or not
You can park in a pay-and-display after 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, until parking restrictions begin again on the following day. This will depend on the area

Before you park, always check the signs!

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When can’t I park in a pay-and-display machine bay?

You can’t park in a pay-and-display machine bay in the following circumstances.

When the pay-and-display machine has a ‘not in use’ sign on it. We designed this system to prevent drivers trying to park for free in dishonest ways, like deliberately jamming coin slots or otherwise damaging pay-and-display machines.
In a suspended pay-and-display machine parking bay during the times when the suspension is in force.

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What do I do if a pay-and-display machine does not register my money or does not work at all?

If either of these things happens, you should:

buy your parking ticket from another machine in the same road or
move your vehicle to the nearest bay that has a working pay-and-display machine

Note: If you don’t have a valid parking ticket displayed on your vehicle, you may get a penalty charge notice (PCN).

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How do I get a refund for money I’ve lost in a pay-and-display machine?

If the pay-and-display machine does not register money or work at all, you should:

buy a pay-and-display parking ticket from another machine in the same road with the same tariff; or
move your vehicle to the nearest bay that has a working pay-and-display machine.

If you have lost money in the machine, please write to the Parking Shop. You will need to give them the following information:

The date you experienced the problem.
The number of the pay-and-display machine.
The location of the pay-and-display machine.
Details of the problem.
The amount of money that you have lost.
Your name and address.

When it has been confirmed that the machine is faulty, we will send you a refund by cheque, including postage costs.

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How do you maintain your pay-and-display machines?

Our engineers inspect our pay-and-display machines (inside and out) every day, for obvious faults like running out of tickets. Our engineers inspect and repair these machines during the hours that the machines are being used, or when our control centre asks them to inspect the machines.

Our engineers also check pay-and-display machines when parking attendants and members of the public report any faults to them. Our engineers will inspect them on the same day as the fault was reported, or before 8.30 am the next day.