Driverless cars coming to Northampton threaten to derail train station car park plans

Driverless vehicles arriving on Northampton roads could leave the local council out of pocket if it commits to help build a new multi-storey car park at the town’s train station.

Plans for an eight-level multi-storey, offices and homes on Network Rail-owned land alongside St Andrew's Road took a step nearer this week when councillors approved amended proposals forced by “significant changes within the economy” since the scheme was first given the go ahead 18 months ago.

West Northamptonshire reckons it will make a “healthy profit” of nearly £17 million over the course of a 40-year lease by operating the new car park — but a report warned: “The principal risk is that the council will take on is that the car parking income will be sufficient to meet its obligations under the lease for the 40-year term.”

Details of the scheme, which will involve Network Rail, development partners Blocwork and a major financial institution, are being kept secret as they are “financially sensitive” and opposition councillors’ questions at a meeting of the Tory-controlled cabinet were only taken after press and public were excluded.

But the report revealed the current two-level car park is only ever two-thirds full as rail passenger numbers are still below pre-Covid levels and predicted recovery in numbers using the car park could be driven off course by advances in technology.

Surveys delayed until summer 2022 to give a “more robust picture of rail parking demand” revealed that the weekday average occupancy was 47 per cent with a maximum of 68 per cent. At weekends, only an average of 30 percent of the 866 spaces were used.

The report said: “While overall recovery was found to be strong travel demand patterns have changed with a stronger leisure market and continuing weakness of commuter and business travel.

“There appears to be a concentration of demand into Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday potentially related to working from home being preferred on Monday and Friday. There is a risk of greater flexible working causing lower than expected demand for station parking into the future.

“Many businesses are now opting for a hybrid-style approach, seeing people working at home for part of the week and in an office for part of the week. If this continues it is not yet known how this might impact upon rail travel and the potential use of the car park.”

Autonomous cars are already being tested in a number of UK cities and last year the government announced our roads could see self-driving vehicles rolled out by 2025 thanks to new plans prioritising safety through new laws

The West Northamptonshire report said: “The development of automated cars results in lower levels of parking demand.Firstly, cars which take people to the station may well be a form of taxi which then departs to seek other customers. Or, if owned by the user, may return to their home.

“Secondly, it may suppress demand for rail trips because people are content to be taken longer distances by automated car than they would when having to focus on driving.

“Whilst the development of driverless cars has been slower than its more enthusiastic proponents suggested, over the life of the proposed lease it seems likely that full automation will become widespread.”