All the tips you need for parking in Jersey
Parking in Jersey can be difficult. You don't want to spoil your holiday with a fine. Here you can find all the tips you need to make sure that doesn't happen.
Jersey has one of the highest ratios of cars to people in the world. Parking isn't as expensive as many cities, averaging around 50p an hour, but fines are high and easy to get.
While most of the big tourist attractions and events have large car parks, St Helier, and many popular bays, have limited spaces.
Parking in Jersey - the road markings
A single yellow line along the edge of the road means no parking at any time. You are allowed to briefly stop and let someone get in or out of the car, and you can stop to load or unload something heavy, but park on a yellow line and you risk getting a ticket.
Tip There are a few places where it is difficult to access a business relying on passing trade without parking on a yellow line. Traffic wardens will usually pop inside and ask before giving a ticket. If you want to pop in somewhere and it looks as if you could stop on the yellow line for a short while without causing disruption to the traffic flow or blocking emergency access, it is worth getting someone to run in and ask how parking outside is dealt with.
Paycard parking in Jersey
On-street parking in Jersey is paid for using paycards. There are no meters. Most car parks also require paycards. Paycards are not sold in car parks and so must be bought in advance.
The only other type of paid parking in Jersey are a few car parks where you pay on exit. These are at the Elizabeth Harbour, the Airport and the Waterfront.
Most parking is charged from 8am to 5pm Monday to Saturday, but there are some car parks that charge outside of these times.
Tip If you are bringing your car to Jersey you can buy paycards on the ferry. If you forget, look for the 30 min parking spaces on the right as soon as you drive out of the customs hall. If there is a space here it is worth going into the main terminal building - the shop sells paycards for parking. Make sure someone stays with the car, or leave a note in the windscreen saying something like 'Just arrived in Jersey - gone inside to buy paycards'.Then hopefully you won't be booked while buying your cards!
Buying paycards
Paycards are not sold in car parks other than Sand St. They are sold in most corner shops, supermarkets, post offices, garages, hire car firms, Jersey Tourism and anywhere else that displays the 'paycards sold here sign.'
You need to get hold of some paycards before you park. They are sold in books of 10 or single cards, in three values - 1, 2 or 4 'units'.
Tip If you have been to Jersey before and you have some paycards left over, check that they say 1 unit, 2 units or 4 units in the bottom right-hand corner or half-way down the left-hand side. If instead they state a price, they are the old-style paycards and are no longer valid.
Using Paycards
Look for the signs which tell you how long you can park for and how long a 'unit' will pay for.
On-street parking in Jersey is divided into red and yellow zones. In the red zone you are allowed to stay for a maximum of one hour, using 1 unit of a paycard. In the yellow zone (mostly town centre) parking is restricted to 20 minutes for 1 unit. Once this time is up you must move the car - you can't add another paycard.
Most of the large car parks charge 1 unit for an hour stay, but by displaying more units you can stay longer. Look at the information board to see the maximum stay. There are a few car parks that allow you 2 hours for 1 unit.
If you are using more than one paycard, scratch them all exactly the same. For example if you arrive at 10am and want to stay 3 hours at 1 unit an hour, scratch all your cards to say 10am.If you make a mistake scratching the card, you have to throw it away and use another one.
Tip One of the drawbacks with parking in Jersey using paycards is that you have to decide in advance how long you will be parking. Fines for staying longer than you have paid for are steep, so it's worth using another unit if you think you might be a little late back.
Tip After you lock the car, check that your cards are clearly visible. You will be fined if they have fallen off the dashboard and can't be seen clearly.
Tip
If you are parking for the night and not sure what time you want to go
out in the morning you can scratch a card for 8am the next morning. This
saves you having to get up before 8am to put a card in the car.
Disc Parking in Jersey
Parking in some streets around the outskirts of St Helier and some areas at the harbour is free but controlled by parking discs, sometimes called time clocks.
A parking disc is a yellow card with red wheels that you turn to display the time you arrived. If you hire a car you will be supplyed with a disc. If you bring your own car you can probably manage without one. If you need one, they are available from the Town hall and the Car Park Administration Office at the base of Sand St car park. The disc costs £2.
Writing your arrival time on a piece of paper in a disc zone is not accepted, and you are likely to be fined!
Some disc zones (including the free 30 minute harbour parking) allow you to display a paycard instead of a disc.
Use this checklist for parking in Jersey so you don't get fined!
Check that:
- You are not parked on a yellow line
- You are not parked in a zone only for residents
- You are not parked on a pavement
- You have displayed a paycard if needed
- You put the correct arrival time on your paycard or disc
- You don't stay longer than you have paid for or longer than the maximum allowed stay
- You haven't made mistakes in scratching your paycard
- Your paycards or disc are fully visible once you have locked the car
Disabled Parking in Jersey
European style Blue Badges are recognised for parking in Jersey. You can use the blue time clock you may have received with the badge, or a Jersey yellow one (parking disc) in areas that require you to display your time of arrival.
On-street Parking You can park in a diasbled parking area free by using your badge with the disc(time clock). In most areas you can stay up to 4 hours. Lewis St, Halkett Place and Vine St have a 1 hour limit.
In any yellow zone or red zone parking you can stay for up to 2 hours but you need to use a paycard and display your badge.
Off-Street Parking In short stay car parks you can park free for up to 3 hours by displaying your badge and disc (time clock). Short stay car parks include Minden Place, Sand St, Snow Hill and Old St. Minden Place has 2 spaces with Wheelchair access at the side.
In long stay car parks you can park free for 12 hours in any 24 using your badge and disc. If you park for longer than 12 hours you have to pay for the whole time using paycards. Long stay cars parks include:
- The Esplanade car park which has 8 spaces with side access for wheelchairs
- Gas Place which has one space with side/ramp access and one with ramp access only
- Green St
- Patriotic St which has six spaces with side access
- People's Park which has two spaces with side and ramp access
- Pier Road which has 1 space with ramp access
- Midvale Rd which has 2 spaces with ramp access
- Route du Fort car park which has 2 spaces with ramp access
More tips for parking in Jersey
Car parking in Jersey will always be limited because of the size of the Island. Some favourite spots, such as Green Island, will never be too crowded because there is so little parking.
If you are going to spend the day at a beach, consider getting there by bus instead. Bus services to most of the popular beaches and some of the smaller ones are good during the summer months.
You might have particular difficulty parking at Green Island, Plemont, Greve de L'Ecq, Rozel, Bouley Bay or Bonne Nuit unless you arrive early. Parking at St Aubin can be difficult, but there is parking along the road towards La Haule slip if you don't mind a short walk.
Parking near Le Braye slip at St Ouen's gets very crowded on hot days, as does St Brelade. All of these bays and beaches have reasonable or good bus services.
Parking in Jersey can be at its worst in St Helier on a Saturday.
Also if the weather is bad during the summer holidays lots of people
head to town. If you want to go into town on these days, arrive early,
or aim to arrive just before lunchtime. Lots of people will be leaving
the car parks to go home for lunch and you won't have to sit waiting in a
queue.
Get tips for driving in Jersey here.
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