Visitors can park in any of the Visitor Car Parks A to M or in any space on South West Campus. You can use the Parking Zones Map to identify the most convenient visitor car park for your destination.
Visitor Parking
Find out everything you need to know about visitor parking at Lancaster University.
RingGo Cashless Parking Solution is now in place accross all University car parks. Car park users can pay for their parking via app, by phone or using the RingGo website. Detailed instructions on using RingGo to pay for parking are signposted at all car parks.
All pay-and-display parking on campus is cashless. Our parking machines accept card payments only (contactless and chip & pin). Payment by cash is not possible. This applies to RingGo payments and payments at the parking machines.
Parking on campus
Visitor car parking is available on campus 24/7 and is free between 6pm and 8am Monday to Friday and at weekends. If you’re visiting campus during the day, then parking charges apply.
A ticket can be purchased using RingGo Cashless Parking Solutions and from any pay and display machine across campus at the cost of £2.20 for two hours or £5.50 for up to 10 hours (£3.30 on South West Campus and the Sports Field Car Park). All payments are made using the RingGo app, web-based services or by phone, and machine payments are contactless by either chip and pin or contactless card payment.
Find out more about how to use RingGo and download the app on the RingGo website.
The Sports Centre has a separate parking policy from the rest of the campus. Users of the Sports Centre can park for up to two hours free of charge at the Sports Centre Car Park, subject to availability and restrictions. A ticket must be displayed. Parking is also available at the Sports Field Car Park located off Green Lane. The tariff for the Sports Field Car Park is £3.30 per day.
Wheelchair-accessible spaces are marked across all car parking areas on campus. Blue Badge holders are welcome to park without charge. Blue Badge holders visiting the Health Innovation Campus by car must register their Blue Badge with University Security by contacting 01524 594541.
Please note the Sports Centre car park machine is a non fee taking machine, distributing 2hr free tickets for sports users only.
Cashless Parking Tariffs
If you're visiting campus on a weekday then visitor parking charges apply. Payment can be made at any of the pay & display parking meters located across campus or through the RingGo pay by phone service. Charges are:
- £2.20 for 2 hours, or
- £5.50 for a full day (£3.30 on South West Campus and Car Park K Sports Field).
Parking is free after 18:00 in the evening and at weekends. Please see below regarding Blue Badge parking.
Helpful Information
Accordion
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Blue Badge Parking
Accessible parking bays are clearly marked across the campus. Locations of accessible parking can be viewed on the Campus Map.
For one-off visits, Blue Badges will suffice. Blue Badge holders are welcome to park without charge, either in an accessible parking bay or in any other available parking space.
Important - Visitors with a Blue Badge that are parking at the Health Innovation Campus (HIC) or the Sports Field Car Park must inform University Security on 01524 594541 to register their Blue Badge in order to authorise the parking session. Full details are available on the signage at the accessible parking bays in the HIC Car Park.
Staff or student Blue Badge holders should contact the Car Parking Office at car-parking@lancaster.ac.uk to obtain an Accessible Parking Permit for regular use.
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Sports Centre and sports facilities
Parking is provided at the front and rear car parks of the Sports Centre (Visitor Car Park La and Lb). Two hours of free parking is permitted with a free ticket from one of the parking meters in Car Park La or Lb. The maximum permitted stay is 2 hours with no return within 1 hour. These arrangements apply across all opening hours of the Sports Centre, including evenings and weekends. Parking is strictly in connection with sports use only.
Alternatively, parking is also available at the Sports Field Car Park (Visitor Car Park K). The tariff here is a flat rate of £3.30 for a full day. Car Park K is conveniently located next to the tennis courts and close to many of the external sports pitches. ANPR camera enforcement is in place at the Sports Field Car Park and this is in operation between Monday and Friday 08:00 to 18:00. All users of the car park must authorise and pay for their parking session during this time. This can either be done using the pay & display machines located there or through the RingGo service.
Please note that a height restriction barrier is in place at the entrance to the Sports Field Car Park. This is to help secure the car park and regulate the size of vehicles using the parking spaces. The barrier is set at a height of 2.3m meaning that vehicles above this height (approximately the height of a Transit van and above) will be required to seek approval from Security prior to coming onto site. A car park barrier (not height restrictive) is also in place at the entrance to the Sports Centre car park to secure this area during non-operational times.
The Sports Centre Parking Policy is available on the Policy and Enforcement page.
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Electric Vehicles
More information is available on the Electric Vehicles page.
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Minibus Parking
Minibuses must be parked in one of the following locations. This will avoid minibuses obstructing either the roadway, footway or landscaping in standard length parking bays.
- Visitor Car Park B on North Campus
- Visitor Car Park E on South Campus
Locations of the visitor car parks can be found on the Campus Map.
Pay & display facilities, or payment through RingGo, must be used between 08:00 and 18:00 Monday to Friday.
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Contractor Parking
Flexible and supportive arrangements for contractor parking are in place.
The Contractor Parking Policy and permit prices for contractors can be viewed on the Policy and Enforcement page.
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Forrest Hills Parking
A ticket & display system is in operation at Forrest Hills. A free ticket for up to 10 hours must be obtained from the parking meter in the Forrest Hills Car Park during the hours of 08:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday. Please note that parking must be in connection with Forrest Hills business and no overnight parking is permitted.
Bicycle and motorcycle parking facilities are also available at Forrest Hills.
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Coach Visits to Campus
Coach Drop off, Pickup and Coach Parking Policy 2023/24
This document provides helpful information to coach drivers and organisers of coach visits to the University campus.
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Parking at the Health Innovation Campus
The Health Innovation Campus (HIC) has staff permit parking and visitor parking which is accessed from the A6 up Sir John Fisher Drive, north of the main campus entrance.
Charging points are provided for electric vehicles. There are also dedicated accessible, motorcycle and bicycle parking facilities.
Fixed camera ANPR enforcement is now in place at the HIC car park. Visit the dedicated Health Innovation Campus Parking page for more information.
Please note that a height restriction barrier is in place at the car park entrance to HIC. This is to help secure the car park and regulate the size of vehicles using the parking spaces. The barrier is set at a height of 2.3m meaning that vehicles above this height (approximately the height of a Transit van and above) will be required to seek approval from Security prior to coming onto site.