Seafront car parking could cost families a small fortune this Bank Holiday as prices soar three-fold since last year to up to £35 per day – but is YOUR favourite holiday resort among the worst offenders?
Brits heading to beaches over the Bank Holiday weekend will have to dig deep into their pockets as car park charges have been hiked by up to 70 per cent with top destinations charging up to £35.
A new survey has revealed that that the price of parking at some of the UK’s favourite seaside destinations has increased by an average of 67 per cent since 2022.
Research by YourParkingSpace compared parking options at ten popular locations.
Visitors to Great Yarmouth in Norfolk face the biggest jump of 222 per cent, with the cost of an eight-hour day in the most expensive car park on the seafront up from £9 to £29.
Newquay saw its highest parking cost of the day rise from £12 to £35, becoming one of the most expensive destinations and beating last year’s ‘winner’ Brighton which only saw a six per cent increase to its parking from £33 to £34.95.
And in Bournemouth the price of a parking stay has gone from £10 to £24.20.
See how much it costs to park in your favourite beach spot as prices rise
Great Yarmouth in Norfolk has seen the most expensive price increase for a parking spot near the beach (stock image)
Newquay saw its prices rise from £12 to £35 (stock image)
Brighton saw a six per cent increase to its parking from £33 to £34.95 (stock image)
The seafront promenade at Brighton, East Sussex, where parking spaces can be seen on the right (stock image)
But not all price increases were as steep – Eastbourne’s highest parking cost on the day increased from £9.60 to £10, Southend-on-Sea’s increased from £12 to £20 this year, and Blackpool have increased prices but by £4 during the same period from £11 to £15.
Brannan Coady, CEO of YourParkingSpace said: ‘Everyone looks forward to August’s bank holiday break and a final chance to enjoy a long weekend in the sun.
‘So far we have had a miserable summer weather-wise, and with forecasts looking better for the coming weekend, it would be a shame if people planning to go to one of these destinations find themselves stung with exceptionally high prices.’
Coady added: ‘There are two major benefits to drivers pre-booking a space.
‘First, there are the financial ones, but then there is also the guarantee that they will not need to spend hours trawling around looking for a potential spot.’
According to the website booking a private spot – like someone’s drive – could save visitors almost £30 – and spaces start from as little as £2.50 up to a maximum of £12.50 for a full-day’s parking.
But not all resorts are cashing in – Eastbourne have increased prices but by just 40p (stock image)
Blackpool have also increased prices but by just over £4 during the same period (stock image)
Southend-on-Sea was another destination with a price rise of £8 for an eight hour stay (stock image)
This research comes after it was reported in March that visitors to Camber Sands would be charged £30 to use the council-run car park this summer.
Rother District Council’s cabinet agreed the new fees for Camber Sands Central car park, also adding that drivers arriving after 3pm would pay a reduced rate of £15.
Explaining their decision, the council said it was aiming to ‘get as much back into the council for the massive costs we have at Camber’.
Hourly parking will still be available at the popular UK beach, but the rate was set to be £4 and it will be £20 for six hours or more.
The £30 fee will also apply to the Putting Green car park, however this is only for a single season as the site is set to make way for a new recently approved housing development.
After the news spread, furious locals and people planning to visit the area threatened to boycott the council and said they would longer use the beach because of the hefty price.
Rother District Council announced that visitors will now be charged £30 to use this car park during the summer
One social media user on Twitter said: ‘Let’s boycott Camber Sands. Let’s all object to Councils who fleece the public.’
Another complained: ‘That will prompt people to go elsewhere, killing any trade at Camber Sands.’
Someone else similarly tweeted: ‘So do they just not want anyone to go there, or what? Why on earth would anyone pay that to park, no matter how lovely the beach is?’
A Rother District Council spokesperson said at the time: ‘Summer tariffs operate in Camber car parks from April 1 to September 30 annually.
‘Camber Sands is a very popular beach, with high numbers of visitors every year from Easter onwards, and income from the Camber Sands car parks is used to maintain and improve facilities in the area.
‘There has been a significant increase in the costs associated with managing the car parks and parking charges pay for maintenance and security.
‘Car parking revenue also funds the council’s coastal control officers at Camber, beach patrols, public toilets and beach cleaning.’
Parking prices have been an issue in ongoing months, and it’s not only popular beach spots that are hiking their costs.
Research earlier in August revealed how airports charge holidaymakers up to four times more for parking if they pay on arrival rather than in advance.
Consumer group Which? said its analysis of prices at 16 UK airport car parks revealed the ‘serious financial sting’.
It compared prices for a week’s stay in mid-August paid for on the day with those paid for in advance four months earlier.
The largest price difference was at Manchester airport, where paying on arrival was £406, compared with just £95 if booked in advance.
Other airports charging a significant premium for travellers who pay on the day include Heathrow, where you have to pay £583 on the day compared with £190 in advance.
Birmingham with £392 on the day versus £150 in advance) and Gatwick (£180 compared with £106 in advance) also have a significant price mark up if holidaymakers pay for their parking on the day rather than in advance.
Consumer group Which? said its analysis of prices at 16 UK airport car parks revealed the ‘serious financial sting’ (Pictured: Parking at Edinburgh Airport)
