Rushden Town Council is urging residents to have their say on North Northamptonshire Council’s (NNC) Reform leadership's proposals to introduce car park charges in the town.

Last week NNC published a draft car parking strategy for the north of the county which shows that charges could be introduced in Wellingborough and Rushden – both of which are currently free.

When the council’s executive met today (Tuesday), it was agreed that the strategy will now go out to consultation.

Rushden Town Council has concerns about the proposals and is urging residents to take part and make their views known about the potential loss of free car parking in the town.

Parking at these Rushden town centre car parks may no longer be free if the proposals get the go-ahead

placeholder image — Parking at these Rushden town centre car parks may no longer be free if the proposals get the go-ahead

A statement issued by the town council reads: “As a town council, Rushden has always done its best to support our local businesses.

"Shop front grants and more recently the new Design Code which aims to improve the experience of the High Street as a couple of examples.

"Shops on all High Streets are already suffering with increased rents, higher National Insurance, the addition of internet shopping and the way in which we shop.

"Parking charges are bound to influence the already shrinking footfall, as well as hitting the shopkeepers with an additional expense.

"Alfred Lord Tennyson School sits in the middle of the town and parents use the John Street Car Park to drop off and collect children, this is also a school with an extremely high percentage of SEN children.

"As a safeguarding issue we must ensure parents can deliver children safely to their place of education without incurring a considerable cost a week for parking.

"For many of these parents, the cost would be prohibitive and we need to encourage attendance at schools not present a hurdle.

"We must not forget the staff who would have to pay out £20 per week.”

And the statement added: "Pre-empting the parking charges, we had already sent a letter to the leader of NNC requesting the transfer of the car parks to Rushden Town Council. But it doesn’t look like this will happen.

"Please fill in the surveys with regard to the future planned parking charges and have your say as to what you want to happen in your town.”