Opposition calls for 'urgent' review of new parking charges in Northampton and urges council to consider 'economic impact on businesses'
Opposition groups have criticised higher parking charges and the removal of free blue badge parking in Northampton, as they are set to call for an urgent review at full council.
The cost of parking in the town centre will jump up from April, after the Reform UK-run West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) approved higher fees as part of its 2026/27 budget at a meeting last month.
At the time, a petition to scrap the new charging proposals received more than 1,400 signatures and backing from retailer groups and the Northampton Town Centre BID.
The Labour group has put forward a motion to the full council meeting on Thursday March 26, asking WNC to note the impact of the increased charges on businesses in central Northampton.
The request, proposed by Councillor Sally Keeble, adds: “West Northants Council calls on its cabinet to carry out an urgent review of the sharp increase in parking charges, the reduction in free parking and the removal of free parking for people with disabilities holding a blue badge for the central area of Northampton.
“In carrying out this review, it should take into account the economic impact on retail businesses in Northampton town centre, the impact on disabled people, access to Northampton’s cultural offer, the importance of growing footfall in the shopping area, and potential investment in the town centre, in line with the One Northampton Strategy.”
The Liberal Democrat group has also called out the council’s decision to introduce car parking charges for Blue Badge holders. They say it is estimated to generate £54,000 for the year, which they have argued is a “negligible sum” as it represents 0.01 percent of the total revenue budget.
Proposing the motion, Councillor Farzana Aldridge said that the removal of free parking for Blue Badge holders is “profoundly unfair” and risks penalising disabled residents.
Speaking at the budget full council in February, Dennis Meredith, a blue badge holder and former WNC Lib Dem councillor, said he was “horrified” that the authority was going to start charging and that it amounted to “discrimination from this administration”.
“Life is more expensive for disabled people,” the motion explains, “In their 2025 Disability Price Tag report Scope UK demonstrated that disabled households need an extra £1,095 each month on average to have the same standard of living as non-disabled households.
“Medical equipment, higher energy costs and specialist support all add up. Disabled people are nearly twice as likely as non-disabled people to be unemployed.
“As well as an employment gap there is a disability pay gap – the median pay for disabled employees is around £2 per hour less than non-disabled employees.”
The motion asks the council to endorse work to re-establish the West Northamptonshire Disabled People’s Forum, which has not met since 2023, and create disability champions within all service directorates to ensure decisions and impacts are properly viewed from different perspectives.
It also adds that WNC should revisit and update its equality, diversity and inclusion policy, if necessary, and ensure that the council’s Annual Equalities Report is updated.