Car Parking Strategy - have your say - North Northamptonshire Council

Feedback updated 11 Aug 2026

We asked

North Northamptonshire Council is developing a new Car Parking Strategy to guide how we manage our car parking assets. The strategy will focus on accessibility, funding, usage, future provision and environmental impact. We sought feedback to help shape the strategy and ensure it responds to local needs.

You said

There were 1,983 responses to the online survey and 3 written responses. The responses are set out below:

	Strongly Agree %	Agree %	Neither agree nor disagree%	Disagree %	Strongly Disagree %	Don’t Know %	No answer %
Car parks should be funded by NNC residents, even if they don’t use the car parks	22	19	12	13	27	3	4
Car parks should be funded directly through parking tariffs	6	11	7	17	51	2	6
There should be one tariff for all pay and display car parks in NNC	16	19	11	11	35	3	5
All users should pay for parking where tariffs apply	14	21	8	13	37	2	5
Revenue generated should be invested directly into car parking infrastructure	33	27	4	3	11	4	18
Car parks should host solar panels for energy generation	36	22	19	4	9	5	5
A ticketless parking system would make car parks accessible	14	14	19	13	29	6	5
I would like to be able to pay for parking via a phone app	11	12	15	13	41	3	5
I would like to be able to pay for parking via contactless methods	19	25	14	8	27	2	5
I would like to be able to pay for parking with cash	24	22	18	8	21	2	5

Feedback highlighted a range of views about how parking should be funded, the future role of parking charges and the importance of maintaining convenient access to town centres. Many respondents expressed concerns about the potential impact of parking charges on local high streets and the possibility of parking displacement into nearby residential streets. These concerns have been considered throughout the development of the draft strategy and will be reflected in any future consultation.

We did

We carefully reviewed all survey responses and written submissions alongside car park occupancy surveys, customer engagement, benchmarking against neighbouring authorities and national parking guidance.

We have also considered technical evidence, legislation, financial considerations and environmental impacts, to help inform the final version of the draft Car Parking Strategy which:

Includes a detailed assessment of parking demand, occupancy levels and duration of stay across North Northamptonshire to ensure future decisions are evidence based.
Proposes a banded approach to parking management and tariffs, recognising that different towns and car parks experience different levels of demand and usage, rather than applying a single countywide model.
Includes benchmarking against neighbouring authorities to help ensure that proposed tariff levels are proportionate and reflect local market conditions.
Places a strong emphasis on supporting town centres, local businesses and visitors by improving availability of parking spaces, investing in infrastructure and improving the overall customer experience.
Recognises concerns regarding parking displacement and commits to reviewing on street parking arrangements, permit schemes and Traffic Regulation Orders to help manage parking pressures where they occur.
Retains a mix of parking provision, including free parking at some locations, time limited parking restrictions in others and paid parking where demand and operational requirements justify it.
Includes proposals to improve accessibility, modernise payment options and make car parks easier and more convenient to use. This reflects feedback regarding customer experience and future parking provision.
Includes proposals for additional electric vehicle charging infrastructure and consideration of renewable energy opportunities, reflecting support for environmental improvements.
Proposes that any parking income generated should continue to be reinvested in accordance with legislation, supporting improvements to parking infrastructure, transport services and the wider highway network. This reflects the strong support expressed for reinvestment of parking revenue.

It is proposed that the draft Car Parking Strategy will be consulted on in September 2026.

Overview

The Council own and operate 35 car parks across the area. There are several different pricing tariffs and payment options in place across these assets, which will ultimately be harmonised, where possible.

There are several costs associated with the provision of car parking assets including business rates, utilities, infrastructure, maintenance and management costs. These costs are paid for by all residents of North Northamptonshire through collection of Council Tax. We aim to provide a cost neutral budget position for car parking assets. Any surplus can only be used in accordance with Section 55 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended).

We are seeking feedback from you to help shape the strategy and ensure it responds to local needs. You can have your say and share your feedback via the link below.

Further information on car parks can be found at Car parks | North Northamptonshire Council.

A consultation will be held on the draft Car Parking Strategy at a later date, prior to adoption by Executive.

This survey closes at 23.59 on 5 October 2025.

For information about how consultation and engagement responses are managed, please see the consultation and engagement privacy notice.

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Car Parking Strategy - have your say