Visitor parking information

Changes to the way we charge for kerbside parking in pay-to-park bays

As of Monday 8 April 2024, vehicles are being charged primarily based on their level of Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) emissions. This is ascertained via a DVLA look-up at the point of purchase. The charging is banded with five bands per parking zone, meaning the least polluting vehicles pay the least and the most polluting pay the most. We are also retaining the diesel surcharge for pre-2015 diesel vehicles.

Document

Emissions Based Charging - Notice of Making and Statement of Reasons (paid-for parking) PDF, 43.39 KB, 8 pages

This change means that we have withdrawn the concession for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, which allowed those vehicles to park up to the bay's maximum stay for a minimum 10-minute payment.

The objective for introducing the scheme is to encourage the use of low-polluting vehicles and, by the same token, to discourage the use of those which are more polluting. The scheme aims to 'nudge' those who park regularly in Westminster when making choices about vehicle use and ownership, in terms of the type of vehicles they own, or whether they actually need to use those vehicles in Westminster at all or could alternatively rely on public transport or the council's car club schemes.

A similar banded charging scheme is being introduced for resident permits from Monday 3 June 2024.

Further information about these changes.

The cabinet member's decisions approving the introduction of emissions-based charging schemes for pay-to-park and resident permits are published online:

• Approval for the scheme's concept
• Approval for the scheme's detail
• Climate Action, Environment and Highways Policy and Scrutiny report

Scan to Pay - QR sticker scam

We are aware of scam 'Scan to Pay' QR code stickers being applied to some of our pay-to-park Conditions of Use signs across Westminster, especially in zones E (Mayfair and St James') and F (Hyde Park, Marylebone and Fitzrovia). 

Marshals and council officers are removing the QR code stickers as they are being discovered, but if one is present at a bay in which you are parking, do not use them under any circumstances.

The council does not use QR codes for payment on its pay-to-park signage, and the only way to pay for parking is through the RingGo app, by phone or by Parking Card.

Pay-to-Park bays

Pay-to-park bay tariffs vary by zone. Find out about parking zones and prices.

Our diesel surcharge scheme operates in all zones across Westminster. The scheme, which applies up to a 50 per cent surcharge on pre-2015 diesel vehicles paying to park, is part of our ongoing work to improve air quality in Westminster.

Pay by phone

The ParkRight app has now been switched off and is no longer operational. To pay-to-park in Westminster you will now need to do so via the RingGo service or by an alternative payment method.

Our pay by phone service is provided by RingGo.

Telephone: 020 7125 9090
Text: 07860 022 205 (see the bay signage for details)
App Provider: RingGo 

Optional text messages from the RingGo service are chargeable:
Booking confirmation SMS, 20p
Expiry reminder SMS, 20p

Settings for SMS reminders can be amended in your RingGo account under SMS settings.

Parking Cards

You can purchase Parking Cards from a Westminster library 

Each card gives one hour's parking in pay-to-park bays on-street and retails at the price of one hour's parking for each respective zone, A to G (find out about parking zones and prices).

Purchase a Card for the A-G zone in which you want to park. Scratch off the date and time at the start of your parking session and display it on your dashboard.

If you still have any of the old Parking Cards with rates printed on them, we continue to honour their use on-street.

Coach Parking Cards are available for coach use in all coach parking bays city-wide, excluding the overnight bays in Bulleid Way.

Payment terminals

Payment terminals are no longer in operation in Westminster and have been removed. 

Visitor scheme

We do not operate a Visitor Permit scheme for parking on-street.

Visitors should use any of our numerous pay-to-park bays or, if outside of controlled hours, park safely and considerately on single yellow lines.

Off-street car parks

The council does not operate any off-street car parks in the boroughs. Off-street car parks are operated by Titan (Leicester Square), Q-Park and NCP, amongst others.