Parking FAQs

This will depend on whether you meet the eligibility criteria.  You can find full details on who is eligible to apply here  When you submit your application, you will be asked to provide evidence of your eligibility.  Without this evidence, we are unable to consider your application.  Only applications made from a Keele email will be considered.

No, you don't have to apply for a permit. It may be possible for you to use the Pay and Display spaces on the campus.

The cost of Pay to Park is £4 per day, compared to the cost of a Student Permit which is £105 per year.

As parking is limited on the campus, the University operates a needs based application process.  This ensures that students with the greatest need for a car on campus are able to park on site.  This applies to students who live on and off campus.  You can check if you are eligible for a permit here.

If you are not eligible for a parking permit, then we recommend that you don't bring your car to campus,

There is a good public transport service available.  If you have to bring your car, then you must park in a Pay & Display car park and pay the appropriate fee.  

We will let you know by email as soon as possible if your application has been successful.  This may take up to 10 days for us to process so you should be prepared to make alternative arrangements if you have not had a response before the start of term.

No one is allocated a parking space on campus, however the number of permits issued is in consideration of the number of spaces available.

There are always spaces available but some days are busier for teaching than others.  On busier days, you may need to look further away from the centre of campus to locate a space.

Details on how to appeal will be included with the email informing you that your parking permit application was unsuccessful.

Your permit is linked to your vehicle registration so you need to let us know either if you have changed your car or are using a courtesy/hire car. 

You should do this through the Parking website here   If you are using a courtesy/hire car, upload the paperwork from the garage or hire company. 

The Parking Administration Team will need to assess the change before the vehicle is eligible to park so please allow two working days. 

If you cannot give two working day's notice you should upload the change on the system then phone on 01782 732000 between 8am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.  A member of the team will be able to assess and update your permit whilst you are on the line.  

Enforcement operates at all times on Campus.  All Pay to Park car parks have a chargeable period in operation Monday to Friday between 9.00am and 5.00pm. Please note this is reviewed at regular intervals.

We recommend that you carefully check the carpark signage to check you are in the correct car park for your permit type and park only in marked bays. 

As soon as a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) is issued, the enforcement company ‘First Parking LLP’ database is updated and, under the terms of their contract with the University, they will administer and pursue any outstanding debts.  The service they provide to the University includes:

• writing to the registered keeper of the vehicle issued with a PCN that has not been paid
• involving debt recovery contractors if requests for payment are ignored.

There have been several occasions in the recent past where students and staff have ignored PCN's, wrongly believing that no action would be taken against them.  First Parking LLP will pursue all unpaid charges and will take legal action if necessary.

Yes. The information about how to go about doing this is provided on the Parking Charge Notice and First Parking LLP webpage here. All appeals are carefully considered.

They are the car parking enforcement company that have been contracted by the University to administer the car parking enforcement activities on behalf of the University, who is the private land owner.

Please do not park on/in the following as doing so will lead to a Parking Charge Notice.

• Disabled bays without a blue badge or temporary blue disabled permit being displayed.
• Pay & Display Car Parks without paying the appropriate fee.
• In loading bay area’s/in front of garages or within bays marked for specific purposes i.e. Pharmacy.
• In Reserved Parking Bays unless your space has been pre-booked for you.
• In Science Park/Innovation Centre Car Parks, unless specifically authorised.
• Roadways within the campus.
• Roads with Double Yellow Lines.
• On Fields, Grass, Verges, Pavements & Walkways.

Please do not block access to buildings, fire escapes and construction sites.

Please do not remove cones, tape or signage where bays and car parks have been closed off.  The car park may be have been closed off for safety reasons, construction or the bays may have been reserved in advance for a specific reason.

Nationally, transport policy and associated infrastructure focuses on sustainable transport and limiting the reliance on, and use of, the private car. From a development perspective this is managed through the UK's National Planning Policy Framework which encourages alternative sustainable transport solutions and looks to constrain the continued promotion and use of private vehicles. Both Keele University and the Local Authority work together to meet essential travel and parking needs, and optimize available facilities to ensure that they are effectively and efficiently used.

This income from parking permits and Pay & Display machines supports a wide range of things across the campus including:

• maintenance and planned improvements to campus roads and car parks
• bus infrastructure
• the student Night Safety Buses
• Safezone app and other schemes across campus that support sustainable transport and student/car park user safety

Our Traffic Officers are University staff who are employed to ensure that only those with a valid parking permit or ticket park on campus and that everyone parks in marked bays.  Only cars breaching the University's parking regulation and the permit terms and conditions will receive a Parking Charge notice.

The Officers are not paid based on the number of tickets they issue. They report to the Head of Campus Safety.

The outlaying car parks on campus will have spaces in them, even when the central car parks are full.  Outlaying carparks with good availability of space include Plot 7 and car parks around Holly Cross, Oaks and Lindsay Halls of Residence.  Please see for map of all parking locations.

If you notice a vehicle that is parked inconsiderately, please let us know as soon as possible by contacting Campus Safety on 01782 733999 with the location (e.g. road name, nearest building), make and colour of the car and its registration.

There are a finite number of parking spaces on campus and the University annually reviews the eligibility criteria to ensure that those with the greatest need are able to park on campus.  This will mean that there are some drivers who are unable to bring their cars on to campus.

As with a town or city centre, there is limited parking on campus, so we need to make sure that only eligible people use the car parks.  When grace periods have been held in the past, they have resulted in car parks being gridlocked, and drivers parking inconsiderately.

The University’s parking guidelines and regulations are available on the web pages and the Terms and Conditions and signage is clearly displayed in each car park.  It is therefore expected that all drivers are aware of the regulations before they park on campus.  An infringement of the regulations is taken seriously because of the potential impact on those who are eligible to park on site.  Therefore a penalty notice may be issued straightaway.  Whilst you are applying for a parking permit but do not yet have approval to park, you should use the pay and display car parks.

We require this information to prevent misuse and enable efficient monitoring.  You do not have to provide vehicle details on Pay and Display carparks.

Non-payroll staff don’t have to pay for a full year.  There is an option to pay monthly or you may use the pay and display car parks.