From 10th February the proposal to charge for car parking in 5 of the cities parks car parks, including those at Golden Acre Park, will be implemented. Further details from LCC including costs and details of season tickets can be found below.
Leeds parks car parking charges
Frequently Asked Questionns – January 2025
What car parks are included in the scheme?
The car parks at the following parks are included in the scheme.
- Roundhay Park (including Mansion Lane)
- Temple Newsam
- Otley Chevin Forest Park
- Golden Acre Park
- Middleton Park (Leeds Urban Bike Park car park only).
When will the charges start?
Payment will be required to park in the car parks from 10 Feb 2025.
When will the charges apply?
The charges will apply 7 days a week between 8am – 8pm.
Can I park overnight?
The maximum stay is 23 hours. Parking is permitted after 8pm, however overnight camping in the car parks is not permitted.
How much will it cost to park?
- £1 for up to 2 hours
- £2.50 for up to 4 hours
- £4 for up to 12 hours
- £10 for a calendar month (season ticket/permit)
- £80 for a calendar year (season ticket/permit)
How do I pay?
There are several options for purchasing a parking ticket.
- By contactless card at the ticket machines in the car parks
- Using the Pay by Phone app – same system as is used in the city centre
- Monthly and annual season tickets/permits will be available to purchase online here: Parking
- Monthly and annual season tickets will be available to purchase from:
Will a separate season ticket be required for each car park?
Season tickets/permits are transferable across all of the chargeable parks car parks (Golden Acre Park, Otley Chevin Forest Park, Roundhay Park, Temple Newsam and Middleton Park).
A separate season ticket is not required for each one.
Are the season tickets valid per vehicle or per household?
Each season ticket/permit is valid for one vehicle only.
Do disabled people have to pay?
No, Blue Badge holders will not be expected to pay.
Do Motorcyclists have to pay?
No, motorcyclists won’t be expected to pay.
Will there be any concessions or discounts?
Blue Badge holders and motorcyclists will not have to pay but, apart from that, there will be no discounts or concessions.
The charges are very modest with the costs being either equivalent to, or less than, a return bus journey across the city.
Is there a height restriction on the car parks?
There are currently no height restrictions in place, however some height restriction barriers may be installed in the future at some locations where necessary. This will reduce the height to these car parks to 2.3m.
How will the charges be enforced?
The charges will be enforced by Leeds City Council’s Parking Services (by Parking Wardens) as for other council parking charges around the city.
People who do not pay for parking will be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice which will contain details of a fine that will need to be paid within a given time scale.
Will ANPR cameras be installed?
No, there are currently no plans to install ANPR cameras in any of the car parks.
What will the appeals process be?
If you are given a parking ticket (otherwise known as a Fixed Penalty Notice) and want to appeal, you will need to do it via the usual Leeds City Council process set out on this web page: Appeal a parking ticket.
Do you have a plan for dealing with displacement parking on nearby roads?
Surveys have been undertaken by Leeds City Council’s Highways team to capture the current volume of on-road parking near the car parks involved in the scheme.
These surveys will be repeated after the introduction of charges. If any issues are identified as a result of the implementation of the charges, suitable actions will be undertaken by the Highways team to mitigate them.
Will volunteers be expected to pay to park?
Volunteers helping to care for and improve our green spaces will not be expected to pay for parking, their contact in the Climate, Energy and Green Spaces Service (e.g. a Ranger or Site Manager) will explain how they can park for free while they are volunteering.
How much will it cost to introduce these measures and how long will it take to recoup those costs?
The estimated costs of introducing the parking charges are approximately £250k (for the installation of ticket machines and essential signage at 25 car parks across the 5 sites).
It is anticipated that these costs will be recouped from the income generated by the charges within six months.
How will the funds generated by the charges be used?
The income generated will be used to deliver a programme of investment in car parks and related facilities in the parks. The aim of this investment is to make the sites more welcoming, accessible, safer and easier to navigate and park in. We also hope to improve the infrastructure required to support sustainable travel such as bike stands and EV chargers.
Are there any plans to improve the car parks?
Yes, the income generated through the charges will fund improvement works including surfacing, bay marking and signage installation. The work will be undertaken on a rolling programme prioritising the car parks which are in the worst condition.
Much of the work will be subject to planning permission which will allow the public a chance to comment on any plans proposed.
Why are parking charges being introduced?
The aim of the car parking charges is to generate a sustainable income to invest in the car parks and related facilities to make the sites more welcoming, accessible, safer and easier to navigate and park in.
Particular benefits anticipated from the scheme are as follows:
- General improvements to car parks in busy parks, including re-surfacing, directional signage and bay marking.
- Improved safety for car park users through the addition of directional signage, clear parking bays, no parking/waiting areas as required, and clear pedestrian routes.
- Increasing capacity of the car parks by marking out parking bays.
- Improving access by creating free parking spaces for blue badge holders (marked bays for blue badge holders are not currently available in some of the car parks) and better car park surfaces.
- Improvements to infrastructure which supports active travel such as pedestrian entrances to the parks and bike stands.
Weblinks
- Details of the charges can be found on this Council web page: Parking prices
- Season tickets can be purchased by clicking on the correct button on this webpage: Parking
