Bedford Borough Mayor Tom Wootton has taken the difficult but responsible decision to temporarily suspend the 4-hour free parking scheme at Allhallows and Lurke Street Multi-Storey Car Parks from 3rd November 2025, to protect Council finances.
Local authorities across the country are facing an increasingly challenging financial climate, with soaring demand and rising costs for Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, and Temporary Accommodation, while Government funding has fallen by around 25%
Bedford is no exception. The Council is under significant financial pressure and the Mayor and his Executive are prioritising sound financial management to keep the Council stable and safeguard the vital services residents rely on.
To achieve this, the Council is reviewing all discretionary spending to focus resources in statutory areas. While the 4-hour free parking scheme has been popular and successful in boosting town-centre footfall, it cannot continue at the expense of frontline services. Those services, and the support provided to the most vulnerable in our community, will always come first.
The Mayor and his Executive remain firmly committed to the principle of free parking and will review and reintroduce the scheme once the Council’s financial position improves.
Mayor for Bedford Borough, Tom Wootton commented,
“This isn’t a decision I wanted to make, but one I have been forced to make due to the serious financial pressures facing the Council.
Free parking has been good for our town and local businesses, and I remain fully committed to bringing it back to Allhallows and Lurke Street Multi-Storey car parks when the Borough’s finances allow.
Right now, my priority must be to protect essential services and the residents who rely on them most.”
Portfolio Holder for Finance, Councillor Marc Frost commented,
“The Council’s financial position remains extremely challenging, with rising costs and reduced Government funding placing significant pressure on our budgets.
The decision to temporarily suspend the free parking scheme was not taken lightly, but it is a financially responsible decision that will help ease this pressure and protect essential services.
Every discretionary area of spending is being reviewed to ensure we prioritise support for residents and maintain the Council’s long-term financial health.”
Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Planning & Prosperity, Councillor Andrea Spice commented,
“While it’s disappointing that the 4-hour free parking scheme has been temporarily suspended, we remain fully committed to supporting Bedford’s town centre and local businesses.
There is still two hours of free parking available at Queen Street Multi-Storey Car Park and in many of our car parks on Sundays, we’ll keep working with local traders and partners to bring more people into town.
Bedford has so much to offer – great boutique shops, markets, and events - and we’re determined to keep building a vibrant, confident town centre that residents can be proud of.”
