Located between Colchester and London in Essex county, Chelmsford is an average sized city with a population of 181,000. It sits on the site where the cute little river Can and the river Chelmer meet, meaning there are some beautiful walks to be had, lots of bridges, not to mention hundreds of acres of incredible parkland. It really is a must see for nature lovers.
Chelmsford is described as being in the ‘London commuter belt,’ as it’s only an hour and a half, or a 40 mile drive from Charing Cross train station in the centre of London. Therefore, it’s a great choice for people who want those high London wages without the stress associated with actually living there.
Chelmsford has 3 really impressive Victorian railway viaducts, and was connected to the rail network in 1842. Today it’s an extremely busy station, with 14,000 commuters travelling to London and back daily. Although it looks really modern from the outside, you can still see the classic Victorian metalwork and roofing when you’re standing on its platforms.
Sir Geoff Hurst came from Chelmsford, and every local will be able to tell you with great pride how he scored a hat-trick in the world cup final against West Germany, when England won the 1966 world cup final. Other notable people include the Italian born Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of the wireless radio. He put Chelmsford on the map by setting up the first wireless radio factory there in 1899, eventually revolutionising worldwide communication.
Today Chelmsford has been described as one of the healthiest places to live in the UK, and boasts many tourist attractions. If you’re going there, you absolutely must see the Anglican cathedral, completed in 1520. There are tonnes of parks, as well as the amazing ‘Radical Bikes’ BMX track if you’re into your extreme sports. There’s plenty of entertainment for families too, including the White Elm Garden Centre & Tea Room, where you and your family can see various farm animals. There are various museums and art galleries, a zoo, and the Mace Playce soft land kids play centre which boasts a really great, inexpensive restaurant.
All round, Chelmsford is a lovely little city with a nice mix of modern and old architecture, and a really positive atmosphere. Although it is quite a busy city, there are a lot of decent free residential parking options, as well as paid options in the very centre. Please scroll down to find your ideal parking spot.
Free Parking in Chelmsford
Table of Contents
Free, unrestricted residential street parking
Have you considered free residential street parking? It could be a really convenient parking option, especially if you want to stretch your legs after a long drive. The walk to the centre will give you a much better feel for the layout of the city and we’ve listed all of the parking spots below, depending on which direction you’ll be driving in from. We’ve also done our homework and found a lot of interesting attractions you might want to check out on your way to the centre.
Please do remember to be courteous when using street parking, and obey the rules. No one wants to hear your music, or loud conversations late at night. Free residential street parking isn’t illegal, but it goes without saying that you must be respectful. If someone has put up a notice asking you not to park there, there must be a reason and you should find another spot. Don’t block anyone’s driveway, or park too close to someone else’s car. Using free residential street parking is at your own discretion, so if it feels dodgy for any reason, trust your instinct and find somewhere else. The following addresses include the distances to the railway station.
East
If you’re driving in from the east, from Maldon or Colchester, you will be able to check out the Holy Trinity C of E church, and take a short detour along the banks of the tranquil river Chelmer. There’s also the Meadowlands Shopping Centre if you fancy a coffee, or need to buy anything on your way to the centre.
● Shrublands Close CM2 6LR – 0.6 miles
● Jeffcut Road CM2 6XN – 1.3 miles
South
Will you be driving up from Southend-On-Sea? There are a few good parking options that will lead you to walk past the Essex County Cricket Ground, as well as Central Park. It has a really well designed kids play area, as well as some old stone bridges and the aforementioned Victorian viaduct, which will guarantee to impress. There’s a great museum on route, as well as the tow path along the river Cam, which is also worth checking out.
● Meadgate Avenue CM2 7ND – 1.2 miles
● Longstomps Avenue CM2 9BY – 1.4 miles
● Hillside Grove CM2 9DA – 1.5 miles
West
If you’ll be heading in from London or Luton, you’ll find there are more free residential parking options in the west of Chelmsford. Again, you’ll pass through central park as you cross the river Cam, and you can even stop off for a quick game of golf at the pitch and putt. We highly recommend seeing the Admirals Park and Tower Gardens. The flower beds and overall design is really quite lovely.
● Epping Close CM1 2TH – 1.1 miles
● Forest Drive CM1 2TR – 1 mile
● Park Avenue (North) CM1 2AE – 0.8 miles
● Avon Road CM1 2JX – 1.5 miles
● Warwick Square CM1 2AJ – 0.8 miles
Free after 6pm/overnight streetside parking
Feel free to make the most of these free parking options after 6pm, but make sure you are away before 08:00 the following day, or you’ll need to buy a parking ticket.
● Railway Street CM1 1QS – 0.1 miles
● Coval Lane CM1 1TG – 0.3 miles
● Victoria Road CM1 1QU – 0.2 miles
Dave Evans & Gerhard Dippenaar Parkingscout.co.uk Chelmsford Version 1.0
● Rainsford Road CM1 2XB – 0.3 miles
● Cedar Avenue CM1 2WW – 0.3 miles
Park and Ride Services
● Chelmer Valley Park and Ride CM3 3PR – north of Chelmsford
● Sandon Park & Ride Car Park CM2 7RU – east of Chelmsford
Cheapest Paid Car Parks
If you’re worried about safety, you can always use actual paid parking options. These are more convenient for the disabled, old people, or those who don’t have time for a 20-30 minute walk in and out of the city.
● Meadows Retail CM2 6LU – £1.80 for 2 hours
● The Granary car park (ANPR) CM1 1AN – £2.00 for 2 hours
● Rectory Lane East CM1 1RH – £2.00 for 2 hours
● Rectory Lane West CM1 1RN – £2.00 for 2 hours
● West End CM1 1QS – £2.00 for 2 hours
● Coval Lane Long Stay Car Park CM1 1TG – £2.00 for 2 hours
● Moulsham Street Car Park CM2 0LD – £2.00 for 2 hours
Free short-term parking (2h or less)
We love free parking! Feel free to use these commercial options if you just need to pay a short visit to the city, but don’t forget that you really do have to be out of there before your 2 hours are up. They have cameras and barriers, and there will be penalties if you break the rules.
● Riverside Retail Park CM1 1AN
● Chelmer Village Retail Park CM2 6XE
● Tesco Superstore CM2 9XW
● Coronation Park Car Park CM2 6AF
● Homelands Retail Park CM2 5PX
● Asda Superstore CM2 6RU
● Tesco Superstore CM2 6QT
Free and Paid Parking Near Popular Chelmsford Locations
Free & paid parking near Old Court Theatre
