Residents and visitors to the town centres of Wellingborough and Rushden have long enjoyed free parking.
Campaigners believe that it is a major attraction to draw people to the town centres. Without free parking, both high streets will lose footfall, resulting in loss of business and increased decay.
It is indisputable that free parking does attract shoppers, but it is not clear how important it is for the survival of the two town’s retail centres.
Nene Herald organised a survey to investigate the issue in Wellingborough. The survey was open to anyone, but the results from those responding were startling.
96% of respondents supported free parking
Just 3% of those surveyed opposed free parking. This makes it very hard to argue that free parking is unpopular in Wellingborough.
For many years, the Conservatives in Wellingborough have campaigned in favour of free parking. It’s easy to see why.
Selection of Comments
The survey allowed “comments” and dozens of respondents did so. In the selection below, we have not corrected the many typing errors, but we have removed any foul language!
- “There’s no reason to go into town already, would be even less if they charged for it.”
- “Was going to say very similar! If they begin to charge might as well close town centre and turn into housing….which I think that’s the long term plan anyway!”
- “If the parking wasn’t free, then I would probably never some into the town centre as nothing there worth paying a parking fee for.”
- “I agree pay parking fee for what exactly? When Wellingborough has nothing to offer is gone down hill for sure.”
- “OMG who runs this blooming town? Leave it as it is.”
- “If the money goes directly to the town, I would pay to park”
- “You can’t guarantee & as others have said, it would kill the town centres as Rushden Lakes has 5 hours free parking. Also as a lot of old housing estates bus routes (like Medway) don’t exist, that route in has been lost too. Don’t charge for parking.”
- “Why would anyone pay to park to go into Wellingborough town centre. If the incentive is by paying to park the town would be improved, let’s see that first and pay to park decision can be made.”
- “Imagine if u had to pay for parking, imagine all the ****s who would be parking on the pavements, oh wait, the do anyways…plus there’s nowt in town, charging would effect the workers who park up all day, plus no body would pop in for a few bits or a quick look. If it was a proper town with proper shops, proper thriving, yeh mayb charge a little…but not when town is dead.”
- “I would stop going if the parking wasn’t free. I can get everything I need elsewhere with free parking so I’d go there instead. Also why can’t the old market square be used for parking?”
- “better still, bring the market back. If they start charging to park, that will be the death of wellingborough. Absolutely nothing here anymore.”
- “With Rushden Lakes so close and no parking fee to pay there, who is going to pay to park in Wellingborough to go shopping?”
- “depends what you’re shopping for.”
- “If you want people to shop local you need free parking. You cannot compare the Lakes with town centres, most of those shops are not for every day shopping. Town centres are where we get our basic shopping from.”
- “Why on earth would you got to town centre let alone pay to park there?”
- “Definitely needs to stay free. Charging would kill what’s left of the town centre completely.”
- “You’ll kill off the town centre with parking fees, another numpty who have no clue about this town.”
- “There’s nothing there that people would pay to park for when you have rushden lakes not far up the road. The town centre is dying out.”
- “Look what happened to Northampton town centre when they scraped the 2 hour free parking.”
- “Wellingborough has nothing left to offer. Why now charge for it and make even more people avoid it.”
- “No other reason to visit.”
- “Wouldn’t visit the center if it wasn’t free parking. So yes definitely free.”
Detailed Results
The survey was hosted on Facebook and had 931 respondents. In an unbiased, properly controlled survey of this size, the standard error would be around 3%.
The number of respondents voted “Yes” was 903. Just 28 respondents opposed free parking.
This is a live topic as the subject of Parking charges is to be discussed by North Northants Council at their Executive meeting January 2026.
