Swansea named the cheapest UK city for residential parking permits

Parking permits are essential for some homeowners in populated areas to ensure parking outside their property. The luxury of parking outside your home often comes with a hefty price tag. 

But which UK cities offer the cheapest residential parking permits?

A new report conducted by Moneybarn analysed parking permit prices from local UK councils in the country’s most populated towns and cities, to reveal which areas are the cheapest and most expensive for a parking permit.

Revealed: The UK cities with the cheapest parking permits 

Swansea ranks as one of the cheapest cities for a parking permit, with the city offering FREE parking to it’s residents! Swansea was joint first in the rankings alongside Sunderland, Nottingham and Leeds Councils who also provided residents parking for free.

Birkenhead ranks as the 5th cheapest UK city for a residential parking permit. With the annual permit fee as low as £10 residents in Birkenhead are being charged the lowest premiums to park.

The seaside town of Blackpool ranks as the 6th cheapest city for residential parking. Following closely behind Birkenhead, the residents of Blackpool pay just £15 for a residential parking permit annually. 

The most expensive cities for a parking permit in the UK

Manchester City Centre ranks as the most expensive city for a residential parking permit, with an average cost of £538 per year. The reason for the city’s pricey premium could be to discourage residents from driving, thereby reducing traffic in the city. Permit prices outside of the city centre are likely to be less expensive. The more costly it is to park, the more likely people will choose a suitable public transport alternative.

Greater Manchester introduced a charging Clean Air Zone in May 2022 to meet the required air quality standards by 2026. Greater Manchester has around 360 EV charging points to encourage residents to make a greener choice on their commute.

Following behind Manchester is the Scottish city of Edinburgh, with an average cost for a residential parking permit costing £365 annually. The historical city promotes the use of electric vehicles and public transport.

Although the average cost for a residential parking permit in Edinburgh is high, this council has variable prices based on the car’s CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the central zones of the city will have a higher premium than the outer city zones.

Birmingham City Centre ranked third, with an average annual cost of £209 for a residential parking permit. The local council has recently raised prices for city centre parking by up to 10%, following a yearly review. Due to this, more and more residents are taking advantage of the public transport network, using buses, trams, and trains.