Brighton is a popular seaside resort city just 42 miles south of London. The 300,000 strong population is bolstered in the holiday seasons by a booming tourist industry consisting of approximately 9.5 million visitors every year. Brighton has long been known for its famous Palace Pier, beautiful beaches, and thriving arts scene. It’s also considered one of Britain’s happiest places to live, as well as its status as the most LGBT friendly city. Brighton is the hometown or chosen place to live for many well-known names like musicians Fatboy Slim and Nick Cave, authors Charles Dickens and Rudyard Kipling, and even YouTube personalities such as Jacksepticeye and Pewdiepie.
Because of the city’s popularity and proximity to the capital, parking has become a major issue. Compounded by a 2-mile square restricted parking zone at the city centre, parking has become more and more difficult and costly. Central car parks average at £4 for just one hour! However, it’s still possible to find free parking options in Brighton, if you know where to look.
On this page, we’ve gathered the best free parking options in Brighton. For a quick look, refer to the interactive map below. Read on for more information about other free options. You could end up saving over £30 a day!
Free Parking in Brighton
Table of Contents
Free Car Parks in Brighton
- Asda, Brighton Marina BN2 5UT – 3 hours maximum stay
- Brighton Marina BN2 5UT – 4 hours maximum stay
- Pavilion Retail Park BN2 3QA – 2 hours maximum stay, customers only
- Tesco Hove BN3 2DL – 3 hours maximum stay
Free Parking Zones in Brighton
Brighton is split into Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs). These are used to make it easier for residents and workers to find parking near their houses or places of work. CPZs operate during particular hours, which are specified on signs near the roads in the zone – during these hours, no parking is allowed unless you hold a valid permit.
Outside of the operating hours, however, anyone can park in these areas for free – this is particularly useful if you require overnight or weekend parking. There may still be a time limit outside of the permitted hours, so remember to check the signs.
Zone A: Preston Park – Every night from 8pm-9am
Zone B: Coldean – All day, every day (except for match or event days)
Zone C: Queens Park – Every night from 8pm-9am
Zone D: Moulsecoombe – All day, every day (except for match or event days)
Zone E: Preston Park Station North – Mon-Fri nights 8pm-9am, all day on Sat & Sun
Zone F: Fiveways & Balfour Road – Every night from 8pm-9am
Zone G: Hollinbury Road/Ditchling Gardens – Every night from 8pm-9am
Zone H: Kemp Town & Hospital – Every night from 8pm-9am
Zone I: Craven Vale – Every night from 8pm-9am
Zone J: Preston Circus – Every night from 8pm-9am
Zone K: Preston Village – Mon-Fri nights 8pm-9am, all day Sat & Sun
Zone L: West Hove – Every day from 12pm-6pm and every night from 7pm-11am
Zone M: Brunswick & Adelaide – Every night from 6pm-9am
Zone N: Central Hove – Every night 8pm-9am
Zone O: Goldsmid – Mon-Sat nights 8pm-9am, all day Sun
Zone P: Hove Park – Mon-Fri from 10am-1pm and from 2pm-9am, all day Sat & Sun
Zone Q: Prestonville – Every night from 8pm-9am
Zone R: Westbourne – Every night from 8pm-9am
Zone S: Elm Grove & Hanover – Mon-Fri from 12pm-6pm and from 7pm-11am, all day Sat & Sun
Zone T: Hove station – Every day from 8pm-9am
Zone U: Coombe Road – Mon-Fri from 11am-5pm and from 6pm-10am, all day Sat & Sun
Zone V: Elm Grove & Hanover – Every night from 8pm-9am
Zone W: Wish Road – Every day from 11am-7pm and every night from 8pm-10am
Zone Y: Central Brighton North – Every night from 8pm-9am
Zone Z: Central Brighton South – Every night from 8pm-9am
Note that it may take some time to find a space in these zones, with no guarantee that you’ll get one. There is also the option to buy a visitor permit (link) if you need to park during controlled hours.
Residential Streets
An option that you might consider is parking on a residential street and walking to the town centre. Usually the downside to this is not knowing which streets you can park in, if you’re not familiar with a place. We’ve gathered all of Brighton’s residential streets with free parking opportunities in the list below, including postcodes and the distance they are from the seafront (specifically the Palace Pier). The list is divided into the directions you may approach Brighton from, to make it easier for you to find the streets most convenient to you.
Be sure to observe the usual rules for parking on residential streets – don’t park over driveways or on double yellow lines, keep noise to a minimum (particularly in the evening), and double check for signage stating when and where you’re allowed to park, if any.
North Brighton
If you’re approaching Brighton from a northerly direction, including visitors from London, these are the most convenient streets to try to park in. A walk from this direction down to the seafront will take you past The Level park and Valley Gardens, the famous Lanes shopping district, Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, and the Royal Pavilion before you even get to the beach!
Hollingdean Road BN2 4AA, 1.6 miles
Riley Road BN2 4AG, 1.7 miles
Upper Hollingdean Road BN1 7GA, 1.7 miles
Davey Drive BN1 7BF, 1.8 miles
Ewhurst Road BN2 4AL, 1.8 miles
Mafeking Road BN2 4EL, 1.8 miles
Roedale Road BN1 7GD, 1.8 miles
Dewe Road BN2 4BE, 1.9 miles
Dudley Road BN1 7GL, 1.9 miles
Hollingdean Terrace BN1 7HB, 1.9 miles
Horton Road BN1 7EG, 1.9 miles
Kimberley Road BN2 4EP, 2 miles
Ladysmith Road BN2 4EH, 2 miles
Milner Road BN2 4BR, 2 miles
Redvers Road BN2 4BG, 2 miles
Gordon Road BN1 6PE, 2.1 miles
Harrington Villas BN1 6RG, 2.1 miles
Herbert Road BN1 6PB, 2.1 miles
Bates Road BN1 6PF, 2.2 miles
Loder Road BN1 6PL, 2.2 miles
Brentwood Road BN1 7ES, 2.3 miles
The Avenue BN2 4FA, 2.5 miles
North West Brighton
Coming into Brighton from the west of the country, or a north-westerly direction, means that this group of streets are the most convenient to get to. A walk from here to the Palace Pier will take you past places including the Booth Natural History Museum, Dyke Road Park and Hove Green, The Lanes, the Royal Pavilion and the Old Steine Gardens.
Preston Drove BN1 6FJ, 2 miles
Bavant Road BN1 6RD, 2.2 miles
Knoyle Road BN1 6RB, 2.2 miles
Cornwall Gardens BN1 6RJ, 2.3 miles
The Paddock BN3 6LT, 2.3 miles
Bishops Road BN3 6PN, 2.4 miles
The Droveway BN3 7QA, 2.5 miles
Elms Lea Avenue BN1 6UG, 2.5 miles
Fairlie Gardens BN1 6PY, 2.5 miles
Hazeldene Meads BN1 5LR, 2.5 miles
Hove Park Way BN3 6PW, 2.5 miles
Surrenden Road BN1 6PA, 2.5 miles
Varndean Road BN1 6RR, 2.5 miles
Withdean Avenue BN1 5BL, 2.5 miles
East Brighton
Coming in from the east and parking there is the way to get closer to the sea. You can take a walk through town, past the Secret Garden and the Flea Market, or take the scenic route via the marina and along the beach.
Manor Close BN2 5EG, 1.5 miles
Manor Hill BN2 5EL, 1.5 miles
Manor Crescent BN2 5EJ, 1.6 miles
Flimwell Close BN2 5GJ, 1.7 miles
Henfield Close BN2 5GN, 1.7 miles
Marlow Road BN2 5NB, 1.7 miles
Peel Road BN2 5ND, 1.7 miles
Reading Road BN2 5NE, 1.7 miles
Cliff Road BN2 5RD, 1.8 miles
Wadhurst Rise BN2 5PW, 1.8 miles
Chiddingly Close BN2 5GE, 1.9 miles
The Cliff BN2 5RE, 1.9 miles
Findon Road BN2 5LP, 1.9 miles
Whitehawk Crescent BN2 5FD, 1.9 miles
Roedean Way BN2 5RJ, 2.2 miles
Free parking in Brighton does still come at a cost – time and effort. It can take a lot of time to find a spot and you may have to walk a while to get to your destination, which can be difficult for families with small children or disabled and elderly people.
Cheapest Parking Options in Brighton
If you’d rather have convenience of being a bit nearer to the sights and attractions of Brighton, or save time finding a space, you can pay for parking – but it can get steep very quickly. We’ve compiled the cheapest car parks here, including postcodes, in order of distance from the city centre:
Churchill Square Shopping Centre BN1 2RG – £4 for 2 hours (there is also an evening tariff after 6pm, which is £4)
Ship Street BN1 1AE – £6 for 2 hours
Metropole BN1 2FD – £5 for 2 hours
Morrisons BN2 1RE – £3 for 2 hours
High Street BN2 1RG – £4.20 to 2 hours
Brighton Station BN1 4DJ – £2.70 for 2 hours
London Road BN1 4GE – £4.50 for 2 hours
Vantage Point BN1 4GY – £3.40 for 2 hours
Norton Road BN3 3BE – £2.80 for 2 hours
King Alfred BN3 2WW – £3.50 for 2 hours
Black Rock BN2 1DZ – £2.80 for 2 hours
East Brighton Hospital BN2 3EW – £2.50 for 2 hours
Free and Paid Parking Near Popular Brighton Locations
Free & Paid Parking Near Booth Museum of Natural History
Free & Paid Parking Near Brighton Train Station
Free & Paid Parking Near The Lanes & Brighton's Shopping Quarter
Conclusion
Driving to Brighton doesn’t need to break the bank. With the information we’ve provided, and a bit of pre-planning, you can find free parking spaces around the city. The money you save can then be used for the many sights and attractions this vibrant city has to offer.
