CUTS U-TURN: Free on-street parking periods in Northampton to shrink and prices to rise

An emergency budget announced today shows that the authority hopes to not only double the cash they earn from parking in the town's streets, but begin charging in the county's other towns.

It comes as part of today's revised budget that could close 21 Northamptonshire libraries, cut all bus subsidies and slash trading standards funding. (Approved last month, February 27, 2018).

Currently, the county council are responsible for and make around £350,000 a year from on-street parking in Northampton.

But this does not extend to other Northamptonshire towns, where on-street parking is managed by borough and district councils.

Now, the county council want to use Northampton's on-street parking to generate up to £650,000 a year by increasing the hours during which people have to pay to park on streets, raising charges and introducing new parking charges where there isn't already.

However, taking the reins for parking in other towns would need extensive talks and consultations with borough and district councils.

The council has also acknowledged the proposal "may not be achieved" if in-year budgets are not managed properly.

The budget report reads: "The potential to provide on-street car parking in towns other than Northampton would require extensive dialogue/consultation with borough and district councils.

"There is obviously a risk that this may not be achieved although clearly this would be an in-year budget monitoring action."