Overhaul of parking charges in Northampton includes seven-days-a-week restrictions and pay-and-display machines on Abington Street

It includes plans to add two more hours to the times of the day where parking attendants can issue yellow tickets and introduce restrictions on Sundays.

Currently, restrictions on bays in the town centre are in place between Monday and Saturday between 8am and 6pm. The new hours would be between 7am and 7pm, seven days a week.

All parking bays in Abington Street would run on a pay-and-display basis.

Meanwhile, new disabled bays will be created on St Giles Street for blue badge holders, alongside designated loading areas for the street's businesses.

The county council also plans to create 66 parking bays throughout the town, including four-hour bays in St Johns Street and Derngate.

Meanwhile, they intend to change all remaining one-hour bays in Bridge Street, George Row and Mercer's Row to allow parking for up to two hours.

The cash-strapped council's intent to "increase on-street parking controls" were announced as part of its short-and-medium-term budget announced in February, which it announced would save £9.9 million in total.

The county council plans read: "The changes... are to simplify on-street parking [and] the proposals also aim to improve the availability of parking, reduce congestion and to rationalise the times so they are more convenient for the public.

"The increase in parking spaces will benefit shoppers and local businesses, while also reducing the amount of traffic circulating looking for spaces. The additional spaces will mean a reduction in yellow line restrictions and will be located in streets where existing pay and display bays are already in place."

The plans have been put out for public consultation and residents can write to support or oppose the changes until October 18.

To view the plans or to comment on the consultation, visit the Northamptonshire County Council website.