We’ve upgraded the car park payment machines at Hive Beach

Frequently asked questions

• I am a National Trust member, what do I need to do at Hive Beach to park my car?

  National Trust members have two options:

  Option 1: Use the JustPark app

  • Download the JustPark app and pair your membership with the app

  • On arrival, open JustPark, enter the location ID 80529 and confirm you are a National Trust member to secure free parking

  • Deselect the optional 20p text reminder in the settings of the JustPark app if you do not wish to receive reminders

  Option 2: Use a parking machine

  • Enter your vehicle registration number

  • Scan your membership card

• I am a non-National Trust member, what do I need to do at Hive Beach to park my car?

  Non-members have two options:

  Option 1: Use the JustPark app

  • Download the JustPark app

  • Pay for parking. Location ID for JustPark at Hive Beach is: 80529

  • Deselect the optional 20p text reminder if you do not wish to receive one

  Option 2: Use a parking machine

  • Enter your vehicle registration number

  • Pay by contactless card (all machines) or by coin (one machine located by Hive Beach Visitor Reception)

• What if I need to drop someone off or use the toilet?

  A 20-minute grace period is provided before any parking fees need to be paid.

• What is the JustPark location ID?

  The location ID for Hive Beach for use in the JustPark app is: 80529

• What if I can’t access JustPark due to poor mobile reception?

  High-speed public Wi-Fi is available by the Visitor Reception at Hive Beach, allowing you to download and use the JustPark app if needed. Look for the “National Trust Free Wi-Fi" network on your mobile device.

• I am a National Trust Scotland Member, what do I need to do at Hive Beach to park my car?

  Parking at Hive Beach remains free for National Trust Scotland members. Please continue to display your membership card.

• I am a Blue Badge holder, what do I need to do at Hive Beach to park my car?

  Parking at Hive Beach remains free for Blue Badge holders. Please continue to display your Blue Badge as normal.

• Can I stay overnight in a National Trust car park once I’ve paid or scanned my membership card? 

  No. Overnight parking is not permitted.

• I am a National Trust member of staff/ volunteer or other user entitled to free parking, how do I park?

  Please continue to present your staff or volunteer parking permit as you do currently.

  Other car park users who don’t need to pay must speak to a member of the team at the National Trust Hut. If in doubt please find one of our Natinal Trust welcome team.

• Will I receive a fine if I don’t pay for parking or scan my membership card? 

  There is no need to worry. You will have up to 48 hours to pay for parking or to check in using your membership card via the JustPark app (this cannot be done by phone).

  We recommend paying or scanning your membership card on arrival wherever possible to ensure you don't forget to pay.

  As a charity, the National Trust uses income from car parking to help care for this special place, maintain facilities, and ensure access to nature for everyone.

  Scanning your membership card:

  • Helps us understand how and when our car parks are used

  • Allows £4.02 from your membership fee to be returned directly to the property for each member visit, supporting conservation and visitor facilities

• Do I need to display a ticket in my car?

  We’ve moved to a visitor journey with no printed tickets. Not only does this save the cost, effort and paper of replacing ticket rolls, but it enables visitors to start their experience at our places without having to return to their car.

• Without a ticket how will you know I’ve paid/scanned?

  The machine will ask you to add your car registration number so we’ll know you’ve paid from that. We’ll also know if you’ve used the JustPark app to pay or checked-in with your membership card. If you need to register your parking manually with the team at the hut, they can ensure the systems are updated with your registration number.

• Will I be able to get a receipt of payment?

  At the machine you can request an optional receipt if you paid by contactless card.

  In the JustPark app you can request an email receipt.

• Will I need to scan my National Trust membership card every time I visit?

  We are asking members to scan at every visit, either via the machines in the main car park, or via the JustPark app - each time a membership card is scaned we receive £4.02 towards our vital conservation work. Both options will mean your car is recorded as being parked compliantly and Hive Beach receives extra money from general funds to spend on conservation and improvements.

• I’ve forgotten my membership card, what can I do?

  You can either find a member of staff at the Hive Beach welcome hut to help, or check-in using the JustPark app. You can set up the JustPark app on your mobile device before you leave home and link your membership card to the app this way. If you are having difficulties you can speak to a member of our team.

• What happens if my membership card won't scan?

  This process will not change – if staff are present, they can examine card and suggest a course of action. Its a good idea to try and move your card around at different angles under the scanning machine to try a different position to allow the scanner to work, sometimes the sun or shade can effect the reader.

• Why have you replaced the old machines?

  The previous parking machines reached the end of their contract in late 2025, and continuing with the existing system was no longer a viable option, This new system has been introduced to provide a more reliable, future‑proof service for all visitors.

  We know there is strong demand for flexible payment options, so the new machines now include contactless payment to make parking quicker and easier. Visitors can also pay and scan membership via the JustPark app. National Trust members will continue to enjoy free parking at Hive Beach by scanning their membership card at the machine and registering their vehicle, or by linking their membership to the JustPark app.

• Who is responsible for the new parking system?

  The car park and new parking system at Hive Beach will remain under the ownership and management of the National Trust.

• Will the National Trust collect any data from the car parks?

  • No personal information is stored in pay-and-display machines, and no member can be identified except by the National Trust.

  • Membership verification uses a single, unique encrypted code for each member.

  • The one camera at the entrance/exit point of Hive Beach is used to support parking compliance and deter crime, which may require personal data to be processed or shared with third parties.

  • For full details on how we look after your personal data, please refer to the National Trust privacy policy on our website.

• What will be the difference between the old parking machines and the new ones? 

  The new machines will offer:

  • Contactless card payments

  • More robust, modern equipment

  • Ticketless parking

  • Coin payment at selected machines (at Hive Beach, the coin-operated machine will be located by the Visitor Reception)

  • Fibre cabling for faster and more reliable connections

  There will be one camera which will capture the vehicle registration mark for every vehicle entering and exiting the car park, in order to monitor compliance. Exemptions for those car park users who don’t need to pay or validate their memberships are managed locally through a permit system, please speak to the team in the hut about this. All National Trust members will continue to park for free but must register their car number plate before departing (or up to 48 hours after departure if you forget on the day).

• Will all West Dorset car parks have this new system?

  No, at present, only Hive Beach is installing this. Other West Dorset car parks (Stonebarrow, Langdon, Lambert’s Castle, Cogden and Ringstead) will continue using the same model. Knoll Beach car park in Studland had the same system, as we now have at Hive Beach, installed late last year which is now up and running.

• Will other National Trust car parks across the UK use these new systems?

  Different National Trust properties use different parking systems, and many will continue to operate Pay & Display car parks or, in some cases, digital-only parking. In Dorset, this new system has currently only been introduced at Hive Beach and Knoll Beach (Studland). Other National Trust car parks in the area will continue to operate as they do now. Where Pay & Display machines remain in use, we plan to upgrade the machines over time to improve the parking experience for visitors.