Estates
Car parking
Our comprehensive guide to parking at York St John.
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Our main campus and accommodation sites are located in the heart of York, where parking is extremely limited.
There is no parking on our Lord Mayor’s Walk site except for Blue Badge spaces and pre-booked contractor parking.
For information on how to reach the York campus, including details of nearby public pay and display car parks and public transport links, please visit our Find and contact us page.
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Student parking
Find information on applying for student parking permits, costs, and options for short-term parking.
Parking permits for students
York St John University offers limited parking permits for students based on specific eligibility criteria. Whether you are living in York St John accommodation, commuting from outside York, or on a placement, please review the guidelines below to understand the application process and requirements.
Students living in York St John accommodation can apply for car parking permits online. Applications open on 1st August each year, before the start of the academic year. A York St John University email address is required to access the online Parking Application Form.
Due to the very limited number of spaces, applications from resident students will only be considered in cases of exceptional circumstances where a car is essential, such as for mobility or medical issues. These circumstances must be detailed in the application, with supporting evidence provided when possible.
Blue Badge holders are entitled to a permit free of charge. Evidence of the Blue Badge must be provided at the time of application.
Students who have carers should contact estates.admin@yorksj.ac.uk to discuss the process for obtaining parking permits for visiting carers.
There is no visitor parking available for students. Information about car parks and on-street parking in York can be found on the City of York Council's website.
Students commuting from outside of York will be prioritised for parking permits at the accommodation sites.
Permit approval decisions are based on the Criteria for Assessment (7 in the Parking Policy), primarily considering the distance travelled.
If there are additional complicating factors, please clearly outline these in your application.
A York St John University email address is required to access the online Parking Application Form.
Placement students required to drive for their academic course can receive a parking permit for the duration of their placement. These permits are for York St John accommodation sites.
To apply, contact estates.admin@yorksj.ac.uk with your vehicle registration, placement start and end dates, and any other relevant information.
If you use a hired vehicle, you must provide the vehicle registration to estates.admin@yorksj.ac.uk as soon as possible after receiving the vehicle.
Visitor parking
There is no visitor parking available at any of our university car parking sites, including those at accommodation sites, except for Blue Badge parking. Visitors should park in one of the nearby public car parks. Any parking expenses incurred should be processed via Directorate, School or Departmental budgets through invoice or as per the Visitor Expenses process, subject to budget holder approval.
Visitors with a Blue Badge, who are connected to the university or attending an event hosted at or by the university, are entitled to free parking. However, they must register their license plate ahead of time by contacting estates.admin@yorksj.ac.uk. If a vehicle is not registered, a PCN (Penalty Charge Notice) will be issued by the university’s contracted parking enforcement company. It is not possible to reserve Blue Badge spaces.
Staff parking
Staff are not permitted to park in University parking spaces until their permit application has been received and approved. Please note that a permit does not guarantee a parking space.
Applications are evaluated based on the points allocation metric outlined in the Parking Policy. If you have additional mitigating information, please include it in your application for consideration by the Estates Operations Team.
Staff can apply for a parking permit here. A York St John email address is required to access the application. New starters should contact estates.admin@yorksj.ac.uk with any queries.
Cost of staff parking permits
- Staff Parking: 0.6% of gross salary, deducted via University payroll. For part-time staff, this will be pro-rated based on the number of days worked per week. For staff with a formalised Agile contract, it will be pro-rated based on the number of days parking is required each week.
- Staff Car Share: 0.3% of gross salary, deducted via University payroll.
- Discounts: A 25% discount applies to permits for low emission vehicles (defined by the UK Vehicle Classification Agency: <100gCO2/km). Proof of emissions level must be provided when applying for or amending a parking permit.
No automatic refunds will be given for periods of absence from the University. Line managers should contact Estates at estates.admin@yorksj.ac.uk to discuss specific requests with the Estates Operations Team.
Parking regulation
Parking is monitored using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR). It’s crucial to ensure that the vehicle registration plate number provided is correct, as incorrect details will result in a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) being issued by our nominated contractor.
York St John University or its contractors will issue PCNs for the following reasons:
- The vehicle does not have a permit to park at a University site
- Parking in spaces reserved for deliveries, loading, or coaches
- Parking in accessible Blue Badge bays without displaying a Blue Badge
- Incorrect parking, including on yellow lines, no parking areas, grass verges, footpaths, or causing obstruction
The standard PCN levy is £100, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. Unpaid PCNs may lead to legal action for recovery by the contractor. Instructions for appealing a PCN will be provided with each notice.
If the PCN was issued due to a genuine mistake or emergency, please contact estates.admin@yorksj.ac.uk before appealing to the parking contractor.
Parking on campus
Parking at Lord Mayor’s Walk
Parking at our Lord Mayor’s Walk campus is restricted to Blue Badge holders and pre-booked contractor parking in the Maintenance Yard. There are 9 Blue Badge spaces.
Staff arranging for contractors to be on site must contact the Estates Operations Team via estates.admin@yorksj.ac.uk in advance to discuss parking requirements.
Parking in contractor bays is extremely limited and reserved for contractors who need to frequently access their vehicles. For contractors needing to load or unload items, separate dispensation can be arranged with the Estates Operations Team. In such cases, after unloading contractors will need to park off-campus and charge any additional costs through their standard invoicing to Directorates, Schools or Departments.
The nearest public car park is Union Terrace, located just across the road from the Lord Mayor’s Walk campus. Full details on this and other nearby parking options can be found on the City of York Council website.
Motorcycle and scooter bays are located at the rear of the Maintenance Yard and St Anthony’s House on our Lord Mayor’s Walk campus.
Parking at the University Sports Park on Haxby Road
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) is in effect at our Haxby Road site.
Facility users at the York St John Sports Park are entitled to 4 hours of free parking. This includes parents or guardians bringing a child under 18. There are 100 car parking spaces and to receive free parking, users must enter their vehicle registration number at the terminal on the Reception Desk or use one of the QR codes on display. Failure to enter your registration will result in a PCN being issued. Proof of facility use may be requested.
Spectators and other visitors should follow the instructions on signs around the car park to pay for parking.
Blue Badge holders can park free of charge in designated Blue Badge bays at the Haxby Road site. However, you must register your license plate in advance to avoid receiving a PCN. To be added to the exemption list, email your registration details to estates.admin@yorksj.ac.uk. If you have not registered in advance, please enter your registration details at Reception using the terminal or QR codes.
