• The Aldi and Lidl supermarkets are the only ones offering free short term (one and a half hours) car parking for customers. There is a charge for using the Sainsbury car park (some recoverable at checkouts). Parking is currently free on Sundays at the Lowther Went (Wilkinsons) car park, but there is a new pay on exit system on Mon-Sat..
  
• There is a small amount of street parking (governed by disc parking limits and remember to display your disc). The Pay and Display parking areas are run by Allerdale Council with the following approximate charges 2024
  
  Cockermouth
  Fairfield
  Short Stay
  7.00 am to 7.00pm on all days
  up to 1 hour Full price SR £1.40
  With permit SR £1.40
  up to 1.5 hours Full price SR £2.30
  With permit SR £2.30
  up to 2 hours (max.) Full price SR £2.80
  With permit SR £2.80
  Overnight charge (7.00pm to 7.00am the following day) Full price SR £1.00
  With permit SR £1.00
  
  Bitterbeck, Riverside, Sullart Street and Memorial Gardens
  Long Stay
  7.00 am to 7.00pm on all days
  up to 1/2 hours Full price SR £0.90
  With permit SR £0.00
  up to 1 hour Full price SR £1.40
  With permit SR £0.00
  up to 2 hours Full price SR £2.80
  With permit SR £0.00
  Up to 3 hours Full price SR £4.50
  With permit SR £0.00
  Up to 6 hours Full price SR £4.70
  With permit SR £0.00
  up to 12 hours Full price SR £5.20
  With permit SR £0.00
  Overnight charge (7.00pm to 7.00am the following day) Full price SR £1.00
  With permit SR £0.00
  

• Parking for coaches : Parking for coaches is available at Wakefield Road free of charge, but only if the coaches park in Marked Bays. The Town Council are members of The Coach Drivers Club of Great Britain.

• On April 1 2011 Allerdale Council's executive extended the car park charging times to start at 8am and finish at 7pm, despite a 2,000 strong petition calling for lower parking charging. In 2012 the incoming Labour administration allowed a brief Free after Three parking at Wakefield Road (across the river by footbridge) for a three months trial (March/April/May 2012) but did not extend this incentive.

• N.B. - Station Street is one way going south from Main Street to Lorton Street, and the St Helens Street end of Kirkgate is extremely narrow and barred to HGVs.

Short Stay town centre :
Fairfield, 

Long Stay :
All Saints,  Bitterbeck,  Riverside,  Sullart Street,  Wakefield Road

The permitted parking times and duration are subject to change and the town is heavily patrolled by traffic wardens.

For more details on car parking regime see the Allerdale Council Website :

NB. Allerdale Council employs Parking Attendants to enforce all yellow line and other parking restrictions.

Parking for coaches :

Parking for coaches is available at Wakefield Road free of charge, but only if the coaches park in Marked Bays. The Town Council are members of The Coach Drivers Club of Great Britain.