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Parking Card FAQs

What is a Park Card?

A Park Card is a credit card sized card which is electronically credited with money and works much the same as a phone card. Each time the card is used, the cost of the ticket purchased is deducted from the value on the card. The advantage of a Park Card is the convenience of not having to find cash for the machines, and not having to pay for periods when you are not using it, e.g. weekends and holidays. In some cases, it also enables you to park at a reduced charge for all day parking, or to park all day in a short stay car park.


Where do I get one from?

Park Cards may be purchased from the Civic Offices in London Road. Initially, each card is sold pre-loaded for £85.00 (this includes a £5 refundable deposit and £80.00 worth of parking credit).

How can I get the card ‘topped up’?

The Park Card can be ‘topped up’ to a maximum value of £250.00 and a minimum of £50.00. To have the card topped up, bring it with your payment to the Civic Offices payments hall, open from 8.30am-4pm, Monday to Friday. 

Where can I use a Park Card?

The Park Card can be used in most of our pay and display car parks which have ticket machines. 

PLEASE NOTE:
The Alencon Link multi-storey car park changed to a "pay on foot" system with entry and exit barriers on Monday 18 October 2010. The new system does not accommodate Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council parking cards. To use a parking card in Alencon Link car park, you will need to apply for The Malls Parking Card. The Malls can be contacted via email at malls2010@yahoo.co.uk
or to apply in writing, please send your name, address, phone number and vehicle details to:

Eddisons
The Malls Shopping Centre
Centre Management Office
Churchill Way
Basingstoke
RG21 7QU

An all day ticket bought with The Malls parking card costs £4.40 – giving a discount of 80p on the all day rate for those paying by cash.  
Long Stay Car Parks

  • The Park Card can be used to obtain an all-day parking ticket at a reduced fee in Basingstoke and Deane long stay pay and display car parks from Monday to Saturday (except Vyne Meadow and Eastlands car parks). See map for location of car parks.
  • An all day ticket valid until 6.00 pm bought with cash in these car parks currently costs £4.90, whereas an all day ticket bought with the Parking Card will cost £4.20 – giving a discount of 70p. NOTE: the Parking Card may be used to buy a ticket for shorter periods other than all day, but there will be no discount.
Short Stay Car Parks

  • The card can also be used to buy a ticket in Feathers Yard and Joices Yard (see map) up to the maximum period allowed in the car park, but at no discount. When buying a ticket in these car parks, the Park Card will allow the option of specifying the required length of stay.
  • The Park Card can also be used in Jacobs Yard and Albert Yard which are short stay car parks for those paying by cash. Use of the Park Card in these car parks offers you the opportunity to park all day instead of being limited to a maximum of three hours if you were paying by cash. Using a Park Card to park all day in these car parks will cost £4.90 (which is the daily rate for cash users in most of our long stay car parks).
  • Whilst use of the Park Card in these car parks does not offer parking at a discount, it offers the convenience of buying a ticket without having to find suitable change, and being able to park all day instead of up to three hours.

Please note: 
  • a discounted ticket purchased with a Parking Card in a long stay car park, cannot be used in another car park where a non-discounted charge is applicable.


How to use your Park Card

There are two types of ticket machines. One is blue and the other is black.  Although both machines have a card slot, not all machines will accept a Park Card. Check the details below for information on where you can use your Park Card.


               
               

       

Insert Park Card in the slot
at the top right of this machine
            

            














Insert Park Card in the slot 
at the middle right of this
machine





In the long stay car parks

To buy a daily ticket, place the card into the slot provided for the Park Card. The machine will check the card, then display the card balance and the message ‘Use Push buttons’.  If using a blue machine, press the black button, and if using a black machine, press the yellow button. Check that the display on the machine shows the daily fee and the current time, then press the green button for your ticket. Wait a few seconds for the ticket to drop into the tray, then place it inside your vehicle so that the date and expiry time can be clearly seen. Don’t forget to take your Park Card from the machine!

In the short stay car parks in Castons Yard, Feathers Yard and Joices Yard

To buy a ticket in these car parks, again insert the card into the card slot in the machine. When the card has been checked, press the black button to work up through the fees for each time period available in the car park (as shown on the notice on the front of the machine). Press the green button for your ticket once the correct fee for the period you require is displayed.

In the short stay car parks in Jacobs Yard and Albert Yard - for all day parking

To buy an all day ticket in these car parks, the process is the same as for a long stay car park. Place the card into the slot provided for the Park Card. The machine will check the card, then display the card balance and the message ‘Use Push buttons’. Press the black button, check that the display on the machine shows the daily fee and the current time, then press the green button for your ticket. Wait a few seconds for the ticket to drop into the tray, then place it inside your vehicle so that the date and expiry time can be clearly seen.