Matchday parking at Priestfield Stadium

Driving & road restrictions

If you are driving, use the postcode of your chosen authorised car park rather than navigating to the stadium’s Redfern Avenue address. The stadium is reached from the A2/M2 and A289 routes through Medway, but the last streets around Priestfield contain substantial resident-permit restrictions.

For the easiest visiting-supporter approach, set your sat-nav to Franklin Road, ME7 4DG, for the supporters’ club’s Sikh Temple car park. Barnsole Primary School is ME7 2JG, with its vehicle entrance off School Avenue. If those are full, Croneen’s on Railway Street provides a council-managed alternative rather than more laps of narrow housing streets.

Local arrangements can change at short notice. Arriva has recently posted roadwork-related diversions around Cornwallis Avenue and Sturdee Avenue, so check live roads information if your route passes those streets.

Stadium address

Redfern Avenue, Gillingham, ME7 2PE — do not use as car-park destination.

Road approach — south

M2 junction 4 via A278/A2 then A289 and Cornwallis Avenue, as described by club.

Road approach — north

A289 and Medway Tunnel approach described by club; route details can differ with closures.

Sat-nav — recommended supporters parking

Kent Ramgarhia Darbar Sikh Temple, Franklin Road, ME7 4DG.

Sat-nav — council fallback

Croneen’s, Railway Street, Gillingham, ME7 1YF.

Restricted streets

The club lists Balmoral Road, Gordon Road, Toronto Road, Priestfield Road, Redfern Avenue and numerous nearby roads as permit controlled.

Roadwork caution

Arriva service alerts show disruption around Cornwallis Avenue/Sturdee Avenue on 14 October 2026; check current road restrictions.

Parking & park-and-ride

Free street parking is possible around Priestfield, but I would keep a paid backup ready. Gillingham FC names Chicago Avenue and the lower end of Sunnymead Avenue as free options. Other nearby roads are resident-permit controlled, and we could not verify the permitted sections and hours against the council’s detailed street orders. Only use a space after checking its signs.

For an easy matchday, try the supporters’ club car park at the Kent Ramgarhia Darbar Sikh Temple on Franklin Road, ME7 4DG. It currently costs £5.50, accepts cash or card and is about five minutes from the Brian Moore away entrance. Spaces are first come, first served, and the car park does not lock during the game.

Barnsole Primary School, ME7 2JG, and Woodlands Sports and Arts Centre, ME7 2DU, also accept away supporters for £5.50, around a five-to-ten-minute walk away. Both lock their gates during play and reopen after full-time, so choose the Temple if you might need to leave early.

If those fill up, use Croneen’s council car park on Railway Street, ME7 1YF. It charges £5.50 for four to six hours, every day including bank holidays, and is a sensible fallback without circling residential roads. Medway Park is another weekend option, but its weekday four-hour limit is tight for football.

Aim to arrive when the supporters’ club sites open, normally 1pm for a 3pm Saturday kick-off. Allow around four hours for the whole visit and longer for a late finish. Do not count on supermarket spaces: no nearby store has been verified as allowing football parking, and general customer limits may be too short.

Parking verdict

Free on-street parking is possible according to the club, but no street section was verified against current council legal orders; use a first-come paid supporters-club site or council backup for predictability.

Free option — Chicago Avenue

Gillingham FC explicitly calls Chicago Avenue a free parking street; bay-level legality, controls and matchday availability have not been independently established.

Free option — Sunnymead Avenue

Club parking policy calls the bottom end free; club Visit Us calls the eastern end an alternative and warns other parts require permits. Exact sections need council TRO and signs checked.

Free option — further streets

Club suggests Canadian Avenue, Valley Road, Sturdee Avenue, Woodlands Road, Carlton Avenue, Alexandra Avenue, Larkfield Avenue, Third and Fourth Avenues; none cleared as unrestricted for an entire visit.

Legal restrictions — near Priestfield

Club explicitly names Balmoral Road, Windsor Road, Ferndale Road, Linden Avenue, Priestfield Road, Gordon Road, Livingstone Road, Coulman Street, Beaconsfield Avenue, Harold Avenue, School Lane, Toronto Road, Redfern Avenue and parts of Sunnymead Avenue as permit-controlled.

Matchday availability — free residential streets

No reliable number of free bays or success rate verified; spaces may be contested; do not assume an early arrival guarantees one.

Walk — Temple to Brian Moore Stand

Approximately five minutes; route via Gillingham Road and Priestfield Road.

Walk — Barnsole to Brian Moore Stand

Approximately five to ten minutes, approach via Barnsole Road and Livingstone Circus.

Arrive by — Temple, Barnsole, Woodlands

Aim for opening time: normally 1pm for Saturday 3pm kick-off, 10:30am for Saturday 12:30pm, or 6pm for a 7:45pm midweek match.

Paid fallback — Kent Ramgarhia Darbar Sikh Temple

Franklin Road ME7 4DG; £5.50 per car, cash or card, roughly 60 spaces, not locked during match, no reserved spaces verified.

Paid fallback — Barnsole Primary School

ME7 2JG, vehicle entrance off School Avenue; £5.50 non-member, £4.50 member, approximately 50 spaces plus 20 overflow if in use; first come, first served.

Paid fallback — Woodlands Sports and Arts Centre

Woodlands Road ME7 2DU; £5.50, about 45 spaces, first come first served.

Gate restrictions — Barnsole / Woodlands

School and sports centre sites lock around 30 minutes before kick-off and reopen about 20 minutes after full-time. Barnsole publishes 6pm/10:30pm final gates.

Paid fallback — Croneen’s council car park

Railway Street ME7 1YF; 69 bays; long stay; £4.50 up to four hours or £5.50 for four to six hours; Monday–Sunday including bank holidays.

Paid fallback — Medway Park council car park

Mill Road ME7 1HL; 221 spaces; up to four hours weekdays (£4.50), up to 18 hours Saturday/Sunday (£5.50 four to six hours).

Paid alternative — Balmoral Gardens

Randolph Road ME7 4PN; 126 spaces and £4.50 up to four hours, but maximum four-hour stay makes it a marginal football choice.

Booking recommendation

Supporters-club sites are stewarded first-come parking and do not promise an allocated space. Arrive near opening, keep Croneen’s as backup.

Supermarket permission/time limit

No verified football-match parking permission at a named local supermarket. Sainsbury’s generally limits most customer car parks to two hours; Tesco says limits vary by location and signage.

Total dwell time

Allow at least four hours for arrival, walking, the match, half-time/stoppage and departure; longer if meeting friends or expecting a delayed finish.

After the match

Temple car park does not lock during matches; Barnsole and Woodlands normally reopen about 20 minutes after the whistle, with final published gate closing times.

Special day restriction — council car parks

Croneen’s long-stay tariff operates every day including bank holidays; Medway Park has weekday short-stay versus weekend long-stay rules.

Street traffic orders

Medway Council publishes CPZ maps and Traffic Regulation Order information; exact Chicago/Sunnymead bay geometry and hours still require verification.