Petition reaches 1,000 signatures as BID backs last minute attempt to scrap hikes to Northampton town centre parking

Plans to get rid of two hours free at town centre car parks owned by West Northamptonshire Council were kept in the final budget proposals, despite a late u-turn on new charges in market towns Daventry, Towcester and Brackley.

WNC’s Reform administration reversed these plans at a cabinet meeting on Monday, February 16 as the final 2026/27 budget was recommended to full council.

However, increases affecting Northampton town centre remained, including a flat £3 charge on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays if the proposals are approved at the full council meeting this Thursday, February 26.

WNC says the situation in Northampton is different as the town already has parking charges in place and is “being treated as such accordingly”.

In response, Conservative town councillor Taylor Cowley-Coulton and former Tory West Northamptonshire councillor James Hill created a petition. It states that businesses, which are the “lifeblood of our local economy”, will “suffer significantly” if the proposals go ahead.

This has been publicly backed by the Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) and their social media post reads: “We believe existing proposals to increase car parking charges in Northampton will be detrimental to the economic health of businesses and our town centre in general.

“Last week, town centre traders came together to make their feelings known on the steps of the Guildhall, and are planning to meet again in the same location at 5pm this Thursday.”

Petition organiser James Hill issued the following comment to the Chronicle & Echo ahead of tomorrow’s meeting: "It is very disappointing that West Northants Council will not allow me to address full council regarding our petition. The petition has been signed by over 1,000 residents in just under a week and is now being supported by Northampton Town Centre BID, Mike Reader MP and a huge number of town centre businesses.

“While I understand the number of speakers is limited, we would have hoped that an issue of such importance and interest could have been included. We can only hope that councillors see sense and vote down the changes at Thursday's meeting."

When approached by this newspaper, a WNC spokesman said: “We have received significant interest in tomorrow’s full council and are accommodating as many public speakers and attendees as possible without affecting the effective running of the meeting by our chairman.

“We understand Mr Hill will be disappointed at being unable to secure one of the limited speaking slots but addressing full council is only one means of engaging with the Council, we encourage him to explore whether there are alternative routes for putting his points forward, either at the meeting, such as other speakers voicing similar community issues, or via other avenues that are open to the public.”

WNC’s final budget-setting meeting will take place at the Northampton Guildhall on Thursday February 26, from 5pm.