
Central Milton Keynes on-street Pay & Display โ flexible hourly bays, Blue-Badge exemptions & free evenings, Sundays & bank holidays.
๐ Type: On-Street Pay & Display (Council-managed Purple Zone)
๐ Open: 07:00โ18:00 MonโSat (charges apply); free after 18:00, Sundays & bank holidays
๐ Rating: N/A (council street bays; valued for proximity to shops & services)
๐ฐ Pricing & Permits
Standard Tariff: ยฃ1.00 per hour for first 2 hours, then ยฃ0.50 per hour thereafter (min 2-hour stay)
Maximum Stay: 4 hours per stay during charge hours
Payment: Pay & Display machines (card/contactless) or PayByPhone app (location code on signage)
Blue-Badge Holders: Free parking in any marked bay (display badge and register online)
Resident Permits: Not valid in Purple Zone; resident bays elsewhere on Upper Fourth St
๐ Capacity & Physical Features
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total Bays | ~12 marked bays |
| Surface | Asphalt with clear purple bay markings |
| Lighting | LED street lamps at 20-m intervals |
| Security | Occasional CCTV on adjacent streets |
| Height Limit | None (standard vehicles only) |
โฟ Accessibility
Disabled Access: Two marked bays close to dropped kerbs at crossing
Drop-Off Zone: Short-stay unloading tolerated outside bay lines for up to 10 min
Pedestrian Routes: Wide pavements link directly to Upper Fourth St shops, cafรฉs and bus stops
๐ EV Infrastructure
On-Site Charging: None on Upper Fourth St
Nearest Public Chargers:
Grafton Gate Car Park D (0.1 mi; 4ร7 kW) โ 3-min walk
Station Square MSCP (0.3 mi; 2ร22 kW) โ 6-min walk
๐ Peak Times & Occupancy
| Timeframe | Occupancy | Typical Users |
|---|---|---|
| Weekdays 08:00โ10:00 | ~90 % | Commuters & shoppers |
| Weekdays 12:00โ14:00 | ~75 % | Lunch-hour visitors |
| Weekdays 16:00โ18:00 | ~85 % | Evening shoppers |
| Saturdays 10:00โ16:00 | ~95 % | Weekend retail crowds |
Pro Tip: Arrive just after 10:00 AM on weekdays or before 10 AM on Saturdays to avoid the peak.
๐ถ Walkability Score
| Destination | Walk Time | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Fourth St Shops & Cafรฉs | Immediate | On-your-doorstep retail & dining |
| Milton Keynes Central Bus Stops | 2 min | Local & regional bus services |
| Central Milton Keynes Railway Stn | 5 min | Rail links to London & Birmingham |
| Midsummer Place & Grand Arcade | 7 min | Covered shopping centre & amenities |
| Campbell Park North | 10 min | Green space & canal-side paths |
๐ Nearby Amenities
Essentials
ATM: Santander (Upper Fourth St, 1 min)
Pharmacy: Boots (Upper Fourth St, 2 min)
Public Toilets: Midsummer Arcade (5 min)
Food & Drink
Costa Coffee: Upper Fourth St (1 min)
Pret a Manger: Grand Arcade (5 min)
Mowgli Street Food: Midsummer Place (6 min)
๐ ฟ๏ธ Alternative Parking Comparison
| Site | Distance | Cost | Max Stay | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grafton Gate Car Park D | 0.1 mi | ยฃ1.00/hr | 16 h | On-site EV charging |
| Central MK MSCP | 0.3 mi | ยฃ10 / day | 24 h | Covered, CCTV & toilets |
| Campbell Park North (laybys) | 0.7 mi | Free | All day | Park & ride bus to CMK station |
| Sainsburyโs CMK (Bass House) | 0.4 mi | Free (3 h) | 3 h | Supermarket & additional EV bays |
โ ๏ธ Important Notices
Enforcement: Civil enforcement officers patrol daily; PCN for non-payment or overstay
Time Limits: Strict 4-hour limit during charge hours; no return within 1 hour
Machine Downtime: If machine unavailable, pay via PayByPhone using displayed code
๐ Expert Tips
App Convenience: Register PayByPhone in advance to top up remotely and avoid returning
Blue-Badge Hack: Display badge & app-register to park free without time limit
Lunch-Hour Strategy: Use Purple Zone bays just outside peak hours for best availability
Market Day Advice: On Wednesdays & Saturdays, consider Grafton Gate MSCP for guaranteed space
๐ฎ Future Developments
2025 Q4: Council trialling real-time bay-availability signage on Upper Fourth St
2026: Proposal to install two rapid EV charge points near the Grafton Gate pedestrian crossing