Parking at five Glasgow City Council car parks in the city centre will cost nothing every Saturday and Sunday in December. That covers the run-up to Christmas and the weekend after it. Council leader Ricky Bell has also promised not to raise city centre parking charges for the next couple of years.
The free car parks are Cadogan Square, Cambridge Street, Duke Street, Charing Cross and Concert Square. Between them, they offer more than 3,000 spaces, so you should find room even on the busiest shopping days.
The dates that count
The offer covers all four December weekends. In 2026, those fall on:
- 5 and 6 December
- 12 and 13 December
- 19 and 20 December
- 26 and 27 December
Normal weekend charges return on 2 and 3 January. The offer applies on Saturdays and Sundays only, so weekday prices stay the same.
What you could save
Prices at these car parks vary. Concert Square charges £2.50 for one hour, while Cadogan Square and Cambridge Street charge £3.50 for an hour. Cambridge Street also has an £8 all-day rate. For a long afternoon of shopping followed by dinner, the saving adds up quickly.
Bell says the aim is to help city centre businesses as well as drivers. “If we can cut a few pounds off the cost of weekend shopping trips, or getting together with friends and family, that’s money that is more likely to be spent in stores, or bars and restaurants,” he said. The measure comes as retailers, bars and restaurants are struggling and households are under pressure on their finances.
Private car parks and the price freeze
The offer covers council-run car parks only. Bell is urging private operators to match it during December, which would extend the savings beyond these five sites. No private operator has announced a similar deal so far, so check the signs and tariffs before you leave the car.
On the longer-term picture, Bell has said he is committed to not raising parking costs in the city centre for the next couple of years, adding that he wants “to do more”. That is a freeze, not a cut: the council has announced no permanent reduction in existing charges.
If you plan to drive in this December, aim for one of the five car parks and work out which is closest to where you are headed. Cambridge Street and Charing Cross sit on the western side of the centre, Concert Square is close to the main shopping streets, and Duke Street is to the east.
