Chelmsford Parking

It can be tricky to park in Chelmsford city centre due to the Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ). This means that every street has some kind of parking restriction at some point in time. Parking restrictions to look out for are:

• Pay and Display bays where you can stay for up to 2 hours
• Double yellow lines, where you can't park
• Single yellow lines, where you can only park at some times. Be sure to check the signs when parking on these
• Kerb flashes showing loading restrictions

In the rest of the Chelmsford City Council Area, parking restrictions are mostly found on bus routes and main roads to keep the traffic moving in the busiest times. Restrictions in residential areas make schools, junctions and crossings safer.

No one wants a surprise fine! On the YourParkingSpace map, we make sure that we only offer parking spaces with no restrictions, so you need no permit and can rest assured you won’t get any fines.

The closest airport to Chelmsford is London Southend, or for a larger airport, Stansted is only a little further afield. On our Stansted Airport page, you can find reasonably priced parking places for daily, weekly or monthly bookings.

Chelmsford is set the beautiful surrounding Essex countryside, and there are many fantastic options for day trips in the surrounding areas. If you have kids with you, a great destination is a day out at Colchester Zoo or Adventure Island, a family-owned theme park with free admission. For a taste of local heritage, head to Layer Marney Tower, with the tallest Gatehouse in Britain where you can take in fantastic views of Blackwater estuary, and RHS Garden Hyde Hall is a must see in summer months

Find great and convenient parking spaces in short walking distances to these unmissable attractions on our search results page.

Car

Chelmsford can easily be reached by car in just over an hour from London, taking the A12 route. From Chelmsford, you can take the M11 North towards Cambridge, and then the M1 for cities such as Northampton and Birmingham.

Chelmsford Park and Ride as well as Broomfield Hospital Shuttle are viable park and ride options for travelling into the city centre.    

Train

Greater Anglia operates Chelmsford Train Station, and there are regular trains to London and the surrounding areas, taking only 34 minutes with a direct train.   

The main three public charging stations are Chelmer Valley Park and Ride, Sandon Park and Ride and Glynn Hopkins Chelmsford.

A network of all electric vehicle charging points in the UK can be found on the government's Go Ultra low website.

Many off-street car parks in Chelmsford will offer disabled spaces, but these may be limited and all car parks are different, so check the signs before parking. If you are a blue badge holder, you can park in a disabled bay for free for the first three hours in car parks. After three hours you will need to pay normal prices.

With a valid Blue Badge, you can park on:

• Any on-street pay and display space, no maximum stay and free of charge. This also applies to resident parking permit restricted areas
• Any on-street space labelled with the Blue Badge sign. Check signs as some spaces may be limited to 3 hours.
• Double and single yellow lines for up to three hours, unless there is a ban on loading or unloading. Again, check local signs for any additional local restrictions.
• Any on-street limited waiting bay, all day

Don’t sweat it, many overnight off-street car parks in Chelmsford run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Enter your dates and times into our search results page and find a space in time for a relaxed evening out.

On Sundays, parking is free in any on-street pay and display space within the Central Parking Zone.

Most will still charge on Bank Holiday according to the usual rate, check local signs. Car parks also tend to charge on Bank Holidays, again, check specific signage.

Do you have access to an empty parking space in Chelmsford? It takes only moments to register with YourParkingSpace on our list your space for free page and you could be earning an easy extra income in no time. Register your driveway, parking space or lock-up garage with us. It’s free to list and takes just two minutes. Sit back, relax and watch the bookings roll in.

Is parking free on Saturday in Chelmsford?

On-street parking charges apply Monday – Saturday in Chelmsford from 8 am – 6 pm. The spaces in the city centre are short-stay, for a maximum of two hours. With YourParkingSpace you can find cheap and convenient parking in Chelmsford city centre. Use the search map to find spaces to suit your needs for short, medium or long-term parking solutions.

Is parking free on Sunday in Chelmsford?

On Sunday, parking is free in any on-street pay and display space within the Central Parking Zone. Sunday restrictions still apply on payment in Car Parks. On Saturday, parking charges are the same as any other working day. 

Is there free parking after 6 pm in Chelmsford?

Restrictions apply Monday – Saturday, 8 am – 6 pm, and after this time on-street parking is free in Chelmsford City centre.

Is it difficult to find a parking space in Chelmsford city centre?

You can find on-street parking in the following areas in Chelmsford city centre: Victoria Road, Waterloo Lane, the West End Retail Area. Parking in these areas are restricted to a maximum of two hours, which can make it difficult to find a parking space if you are looking to stay in town for an afternoon, or even overnight. Charges apply Monday to Saturday, from 8 am to 6 pm. There are a few long stay car parks, including Waterhouse Lane and Townfield Street where you are able to park overnight. If you are a blue badge holder, you can park in a disabled bay for free for the first three hours in car parks. After three hours you will need to pay normal prices.