End to free car parking in Wellingborough would be a 'death knell' for town centre say councillors
Free car parking in Wellingborough will be on the agenda on Wednesday’s town council meeting with some councillors saying it would be a ‘death knell’ for businesses if charges were introduced.
Currently free car parking is available across the North Northants Council-owned and managed Wellingborough town centre spaces, unlike in neighbouring Kettering and Corby where charges apply.
A motion to be discussed by Wellingborough Town Council members has been tabled by the Labour group, calling for free parking to be protected.
Cllr Kelly Duddridge (Labour/Victoria), who is a councillor on both the town and unitary council said: “Ending free parking in Wellingborough could be the death knell for the town centre. We need to do all we can to support our local businesses and encourage people to come into town. Free parking is a big part of that.”
The motion is going through Wellingborough Town Council on Wednesday at the full council meeting says: “the Labour Group in Wellingborough is calling on the Town Council to defend free parking in the town centre.
“Car parking costs vary across North Northamptonshire but with Wellingborough’s public transport network being much smaller than that of Corby and Kettering, the Labour group is concerned about rising costs, in a town where 20 per cent of residents are living in some of the most deprived areas of the country
"The Labour group is calling on North Northamptonshire Council to do right by Wellingborough residents and is encouraging local people to make thoughts on the issue clear by completing the council’s public survey at https://northnorthants.citizenspace.com/place-and-economy/car-parking-strategy-hys/ .”
The motion will be discussed at a meeting of Wellingborough Town Council on Wednesday, September 17, at 7pm at Swanspool Pavilion in Wellingborough.