We are trialling higher parking fines and penalty charge notices (PCN).
The trial aims to test if higher fines will reduce illegal, dangerous or inconsiderate parking along the seafront during the summer.
This follows a similar trial we carried out last year. You can view the results of that trial.
How to provide us with feedback about the trial
You can provide feedback about the trial by completing our online form.
You will need to provide us with your:
- email address
- postcode (you do not need to live in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole)
If you have received a penalty charge notice (PCN) you can pay or challenge it.
When and where the trial will take place
The trial will run from 00:01am (one minute past midnight) on 4 August 2026 to 11:59pm on 31 August 2026.
The trial will only affect roads from Sandbanks to Southbourne along the seafront.
You can view our interactive map to see which roads are affected.
Why we are doing this trial
This trial is about making Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole safer and easier to access for everyone (including all motorists).
We do not want to put people at risk by irresponsible and illegal parking. Some parking has blocked access for emergency service vehicles and put lives at risk.
Income from on-street PCNs is used to support work on the highway such as to reduce and prevent congestion.
Current and trial fines and charges
The current fines for a penalty charge notice (PCN) are:
- £50 for lower tariff offences (reduced to £25 if paid within 14 days)
- £70 for higher tariff parking offences (reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days)
During the trial, these fines will increase to:
- £110 for lower tariff offences (reduced to £55 if paid within 14 days)
- £160 for higher tariff offences (reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days)
If you do not pay a PCN within 28 days
If you do not pay a PCN within 28 days, you’ll get a ‘charge certificate’ and you’ll have 14 days to pay the original fine plus 50% more, for example:
- £75 for lower tariff offences
- £105 for higher tariff parking offences
During the trial, these fines will increase to:
- £165 for lower tariff offences
- £240 for higher tariff parking offences
If you do not pay your fine within 42 days
14 days after the 'charge certificate' has been issued and if the PCN has not been paid in full, a debt registration fee is applied, this will be:
- £85 for lower tariff offences
- £115 for higher tariff offences
During the trial, these fines will increase to:
- £175 for lower tariff offences
- £250 for higher tariff parking offences
If your car gets impounded
The current fines for towaways are:
- £105 for release from car pound
- £12 for storage fee (per day)
- £50 for disposal fee
During the trial, these fines will increase to:
- £100 for release from wheel clamp
- £280 for release from car pound
- £55 for storage fee (per day)
- £100 for disposal fee
Higher and lower tariff offences
Higher tariff offences are when someone parks where they are not allowed to, for example on double yellow lines.
Lower tariff offences are when someone parks at a legal place but stays too long or parks outside of the marked bays.
You can view contravention codes for higher and lower tariff offences.
What happens next
Following the trial, the Department for Transport will review the trial results alongside last year’s results. They will then make a decision on what happens next.
Parking in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
We have over 150 separate place to park, including car parks and on-street parking.
Even at our busiest this year there have been parking spaces available at our car parks. As a condition of this trial, the Department for Transport is satisfied there are enough spaces to legally park.
You can find a car park or on-street parking online, as well as:
- charges
- restrictions
- opening times
You can also:
Results of the 2025 trial for increased parking fines and penalty charge notices (PCN)
Higher parking fines were trialled along coastal roads, between Sandbanks and Southbourne, in August 2025.
What the trial achieved
The month-long trial showed that increased fines reduced illegal parking – keeping coastal routes safer, traffic moving more freely, and making our coastline more accessible for everyone.
Illegal and obstructive parking fell significantly and roads become easier for public transport, emergency services and residents to navigate.
Visitors still came to enjoy the best of what our towns have to offer with millions of trips made to the seafront and town centres – and car parks consistently had spare capacity just a short walk from both of these.
Read the full trial report for more information.