Cost of parking in Northampton set to go up from April as public notice is published
The public notices bringing in controversial car parking charge increases in Northampton town centre have been published.
This comes after West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) voted through changes to its parking fees on Thursday February 26 in its 2026/27 budget, despite a petition to stop the proposals that gathered more than 1,400 signatures.
The council had already announced that it would be reversing plans put forward in the draft budget to start charging users of car parks in Brackley, Towcester and Daventry, but no such relief was given to the scrapping of two hours of free parking in Northampton at weekends and other fee uplifts.
Business groups including Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District and retailers issued widespread objections to the increases to no avail.
The authority has now issued a notice outlining the increased pay-and-display charges across a wide range of town centre locations, including Abington Street, Derngate, St Giles Street and Guildhall Road.
The changes are due to come into effect from April 10, 2026, and sees parking prices rise across all time bands.
In the busiest central areas, the cost of parking for up to 30 minutes increases from £0.70 to £0.80, while a one-hour stay goes up from £1.40 to £1.60. 24-hour parking would rise from £2.80 to £3.20.
Longer stays are also becoming more expensive in some locations. For example, in areas such as St John’s Street and Cliftonville, parking for up to four hours increase from £4.20 to £4.80.
All-day parking on The Avenue is also set to rise from £7 to £8.
The increases extend beyond pay-and-display charges, with permit holders also facing higher costs. A residents’ annual permit increases from £35 to £45, while business permits rise from £350 to £450.
Visitor permits, temporary permits and carer permits also increase. The cost of suspending parking bays would double in some cases, with a first-day charge rising from £30 to £60.
According to the notice, the changes relate only to pricing, with no alterations planned to parking locations, time limits, or operating hours.
Residents can view the full details of the proposals online or at affected parking locations, where summary notices will be displayed.
The notice was published on the Public Notice Network.