Parking FAQs

We are implementing a new car parking management system from 1 September 2024. Please see changes to staff parking to learn about the new approach, eligibility, permit costs, daily charges and updated FAQs.

New permit applications under the current eligibility criteria will be accepted during this interim period. For current permit holders whose permit expires before 31 August 2024, you will be able to re-apply and are entitled to park with the standard restrictions and Terms and Conditions. 

All staff and student permits will expire on 31 August as current systems will cease, and those requiring new permits will be prompted to apply following the launch of the new car park management permit software in September 2024.

We are implementing a new car parking management system from 1 September 2024. Please see the student parking page to learn about the new approach, eligibility, permit costs and daily charges.

All Oxford Brookes staff and students are required to pay for parking. The only exceptions are:

• vehicles displaying a Council-issued Blue Badge Permit, a Temporary Accessible Permit or a University Departmental Vehicle Loan Permit
• pre-authorised contractors
• University owned operational vehicles 
• pre-booked visitors booked into the visitors car park. 

Motorcycles registered to a University motorcycle permit and vehicles registered to a PGCE permit are currently exempt from daily tariff charges, however parking restrictions apply.

Currently staff permits will cover all sites for operational purposes, so staff can move freely between sites if needed. Additionally, if you pay the full daily charge at one site, this will cover all sites

See the staff parking page for more information about staff permits.

Student permits will only be granted for the site of study (this excludes Headington Campus and Marston Road Site where no student permits are issued).

See the student parking page for more information about student permits.

No, parking spaces are limited on all sites, therefore a parking space is not guaranteed for any individual.

Although you are not employed directly by Oxford Brookes, you are subject to the same University terms and conditions and eligibility requirements as a staff member. This means you will have to have a valid permit (Staff - Contract permit) and pay the daily tariff charge.

You will require a University email address to create a parking account and make a permit application.

Please note, a new car parking management system is due to come into force from 1 September 2024. We will be contacting operational staff and line managers that do not directly work for Oxford Brookes over the coming months, with permits issued under the new eligibility criteria.

Affiliate staff are subject to the University terms and conditions and eligibility requirements, requiring a University email address to create a parking account and make a permit application.

Visiting Professors and Researchers are classified as affiliate staff. This means you will have to have a valid permit (Staff – Contract permit) and pay the daily tariff charge.

Affiliate staff who are primarily students are subject to the same terms and conditions and eligibility requirements as a student, and should use this application process. 

From 1 September 2024

Please note, a new car parking management system is due to come into force from 1 September 2024. For more information on the changes and how to apply for a permit, see the changes to staff parking page. Affiliates will be treated as ‘staff’ and the new eligibility criteria and charging will apply, or they will need an adhoc parking space pre-booked by a member of Oxford Brookes staff via the Visitor Parking Portal.

Currently, designated motorcycle parking areas are available on campuses. Individuals will need to purchase a staff or student motorcycle permit and are exempt from the daily tariff charge.

From 1 September, those travelling by motorcycle are required to complete the pre-permit application form as they will need a valid permit to park. Eligibility criteria will not apply to motorcycle parking. The parking charges will be £0.50 (half day < 4 hrs), and £1 per day. 

For more information, see changes to staff parking and follow the links to the specific parking locations.

Electric vehicles will be required to have a valid permit and pay the daily tariff charge, however you can use the designated electric car charging points on campus, subject to availability.

Please note: HMRC views the University’s provision of free-of-charge charging as a benefit in kind to the user, the value of the benefit being the cost to the University of the electricity used for charging. It is therefore the user's responsibility to report to HMRC the value of electricity used.

Currently, wardens in Halls of Residence are required to purchase a parking permit, which will be valid at their Hall of Residence only and daily tariff charge exempt.

Please note, a new car parking management system comes into effect from 1 September 2024. For more information on the changes and how to apply for a permit, see changes to staff parking. Wardens will be required to apply and pay for a parking permit in their allocated principal residential location, but will be exempt from daily charging.

Students enrolled on a PGCE or BA (PTE) placement programme course and living in private accommodation can apply for a Harcourt Hill student permit subject to the student eligibility criteria and terms and conditions. These permits are exempt from the daily tariff charge. 

If you are unsure if you are/will be enrolled on a PGCE or BA (PTE)  course, please contact your course leader.

Please see the student parking page for more information about eligibility criteria for PGCE or BA (PTE) student permits.

No, but you will need to display the council Blue Badge permit whilst parked on campus.

Find out more about Blue Badge Permits and how to apply for one on:

• changes to staff parking
• student parking.

Students

If a student has a concern with a medical condition, they should follow the advise on the student parking page under 'Special permit types - Medical Permits'.

Staff

If an employee has a health concern and is seeking temporary support for parking they need to follow the procedure below:

• Raise this with their line manager/people manager (manager).  
• The manager is then responsible for referring the employee to Occupational Health (OH).  This will include information on how an employee’s work is being affected by health their health concern and what measures (if any) have already implemented/considered.
• OH meet with employee and make a set of recommendations - which may include provision for temporary  accessible parking.
• Manager will need to consider if the recommendations are reasonable and will contact the employee to confirm the need for a parking permit up to a max of 6 weeks.
• If an employee’s health condition remains the same , the manager can extend the permit up to another 6 weeks.
• If an employee’s health condition was expected to improve but hasn't - manager to refer again to OH.

To park on-site during peak hours (defined as 7.00am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday), vehicles will need to be associated to an active permit and to have paid the daily tariff charge where applicable. Visitors will require a pre-booked visitor car parking space.

Outside of peak hours, permit holders may park for free; Non-permit holders may park, but must pay the appropriate off-peak charges.

Peak hours are in operation between 7.00am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays in England and Wales). 

Once you have a valid permit, there is a daily tariff charge. This is linked to your salary (based on pay grade and spinal point) and is set out below, as is an estimated annual cost, based on the average full-time attendance on-site:

Once you have a valid student permit, there is a daily parking charge. Please see the student parking page for information about the the daily parking charge.

On arrival and having parked, permit holders will need to pay the daily tariff charge. This can be done either online via your virtual parking account or at the 'pay and display' machines. When we move to a a new car parking management system, refunds will not be given on the pre-paid parking credits, so please ensure you only pay for pre-paid parking credits that you will use by 31 August 2024.

Using your virtual parking account, select the 'Online payment' icon to purchase Top ups (pre paid parking credits) via the 'Top up' link. Then use the 'Book' icon to redeem a Top up credit, confirming the vehicle on site for a particular day. Follow this step-by-step PDF guide to the online payment system.

Using the machines, type in your vehicle registration and pay the appropriate fee. The system is virtual system so you will not need to display a printed ticket in your window.

All tariff options will start from once a Top-up or payment has been made and cannot be made retrospectively. 

The standard daily parking tariff will end at 4.30pm, however permit holders can continue to park free of charge during off peak hours. Top ups purchased via the Online parking account are the equivalent of the permit holders standard daily tariff charge.

In addition to the standard daily tariff charge, half day and two day parking tariff options are only available via the parking machines.

The half day tariff is for up to 4 hours with charges at half the permit holder's daily tariff rate. If you buy a half-day ticket and end up staying longer, you must pay for the additional time, equivalent to a full-day tariff rate

The two day option will expire at 4.30pm on the next consecutive working day (based on Monday - Friday), charges at twice the permit holder's daily tariff rate.

For permit holders, the longest length of stay is 2 consecutive working days payable at the ‘pay and display’ machines. Faculties or Directorates can apply for a specific staff member to have an extended length of stay / exemption, where there is an operational reason for them to do so

Any University wide exemption to parking charges (eg Open days), will be conveyed via the parking machines.

It is important that any parking policy is enforced; however this enforcement process designed to be educative rather than punitive.

If a vehicle is found to be parking not in accordance with the Terms and Conditions, (eg. not paying the appropriate fee or not parking correctly within a marked bay) the approved enforcement policy will be followed.

See the Terms and Conditions.

Members of Brookes Sport who have been issued a membership number and are paying a full Community Membership fee on a monthly or annual basis are eligible to apply for a Sport & Leisure parking permit. Details will be provided with your community membership application.

This parking permit is only valid while the individual is a full fee-paying member of Brookes Sport. Please contact the Sports team with any queries regarding your membership. 

Sport & Leisure parking permit holders are eligible to park at:

• Harcourt Hill Campus Sports Centre car park (during peak hours and off-peak hours)
• Headington Hill (during off-peak hours only)
• Wheatley Campus (during off-peak hours only).

Peak hours are 7.00am - 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Off-peak hours are 4.31pm - 6.59am Monday to Friday, all day at weekends and public/bank holidays.

From 1 September 2024

We are implementing a new car parking management system from 1 September 2024. For Sports & Leisure members, the parking permit charge will remain the same at £10 per annum. Sports Centre-paid members can apply for a Sports & Leisure parking permit for Harcourt Hill permitting peak and off-peak free parking for up to two hours. 

• See 'Off-peak hours (non-permit holders)' on the new FAQs page.

The annual charge for Brookes Sport & Leisure parking permits is at the prevailing rate (currently £10). This will remain unchanged at present.

Non permit holders are welcome to park during off-peak hours only, charges will be applicable for the duration of their stay.

Before you can apply for a parking permit you must first create an account. View our instructions on how to:

1. Create a permit account
2. Apply for a parking permit
3. Online Payment System

Oxford Brookes University staff and students are not eligible to apply for a Sport & Leisure permit.