From Bedford to Peterborough: can free parking revive local shops?

Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, has turned up the volume on his campaign promise to introduce free parking in Peterborough City Centre and St Neots, pointing to Bedford as proof that the scheme can breathe new life into town centres.

“Free parking has transformed Bedford,” Bristow declared. “Four hours free! This is exactly what Peterborough and St Neots need to revive their city and town centres.” His admiration for Bedford’s Conservative-led initiative is clear. Bristow has repeatedly cited Mayor Tom Wootton’s scheme as a model for what can be achieved when political will meets practical implementation.

Yet Bedford’s experience is a cautionary tale. Rising costs and slashed government funding have forced the council to suspend free parking at two of its main car parks from November.

Mayor Wootton called it a “difficult but responsible” decision, emphasising the need to protect essential services such as adult social care and children’s services. The decision illustrates that while free parking can stimulate commerce, councils cannot ignore the financial balancing act required to keep services running.

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Bristow, however, remains undeterred. Since before his election, free parking has been a cornerstone of his campaign.

Surveys conducted in Peterborough showed widespread support for the idea, with residents and businesses alike citing out-of-town competition as a threat to city and town centre vitality.

“Businesses and residents tell me time and again that the Peterborough City Centre and St Neots Town Centre need plans to encourage people to visit. But we hear precious little from our councils. I am fed up of waiting, so I am going to do something about it,” Bristow said.

He has actively pursued discussions with Peterborough City Council, sending a series of emails and attending multiple meetings between May and September 2025.

The Combined Authority’s records show a persistent effort to shape a workable scheme, with follow-ups sent when council officers were slow to respond. Despite these efforts, Bristow recently announced he is now engaging private operators to implement free parking, citing delays in council approvals.

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The city council’s response has been cautious. Labour leader Cllr Shabina Qayyum said she was “surprised and disappointed” by Bristow’s public remarks, noting that officers had been developing a proposal with preliminary costings for months. She emphasized that a full city-wide, seven-day free parking scheme would require £3.4 million in funding—an amount the Combined Authority may struggle to provide.

“The council has not rejected or stalled his offer,” Cllr Qayyum told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. “We need a firm idea of exactly how much the Combined Authority is willing to contribute. If the mayor engages with me directly rather than a media-first approach, then maybe we’d be able to get somewhere.”

The council is also preparing a reduced version of the scheme, requiring less funding but still aiming to make an impact on local businesses.

Bristow made it one of the many pledges during his election campaign.

“I understand money is tight. The Combined Authority needs to be more than just a body that passports money to local councils. The cash should come with conditions. Free parking could be one such condition,” he said. Bristow has paired the parking proposal with a zero-tolerance stance on antisocial behaviour, arguing that safety and convenience go hand-in-hand when attracting visitors.

For now, the mayor is pressing ahead, determined to bring the Bedford model to Peterborough.

And he had this social media warning to the council: “All the times we have connected Peterborough City Council about my plan to introduce free parking offering funding and support. If they don’t want to do it – that’s fine.”

He added: “I am now talking to private operators to introduce free parking in Peterborough.”