Parking charges have been reinstated at Brixworth Country Park on Saturday mornings meaning runners will now have to stump up the cash to take part in the free event.Participants of the Brixworth Country parkrun have in recent years been gifted the support of West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) by way of 1.5 hours free parking to take part in the weekly event between 8.30 and 10am. Brixworth Country ParkThat support was withdrawn earlier in the year as part of the 2026/27 budget when it was decided by the Reform-led authority that runners would have to pay as of August 1. Brixworth Country parkrun told members on July 31: “Unfortunately, we have some news to share.“West Northamptonshire Council has made the decision to reinstate parking charges at Brixworth Country Park on Saturday mornings, with effect from tomorrow, Saturday 1st August.“We know this won’t be welcome news for many of our parkrunners. We wanted to let you know that we did everything we could to make the case for maintaining free parking during parkrun, and we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to respond to the public consultation and share their views.”Your support and passion for our parkrun community was greatly appreciated.”Parkrunners are now faced with charges of £2 for up to 1 hour and £3 for up to 2 hours. The all day cost at Brixworth is £8. One member commented on the parkrun Facebook post saying: “This is a disappointing decision. While I appreciate this isn’t the parkrun team’s decision, it’s difficult to see how charging people to park encourages participation in a free community event that exists to improve health and wellbeing.”For many, especially families and volunteers, this adds a significant recurring cost. A time-limited free parking period during parkrun would have been a far fairer compromise.” Another said: “So short sighted of them as most will get shortest possible parking time for how fast they run and then leave. No encouragement then to use cafe that surely brings in more money if we did.”However, this person did support the decision saying: “Just about every parkrun I’ve been to there is a parking charge. At some you are lucky if volunteers get free parking but that is by no means a widespread perk. The council are charged with maximising their revenue stream. With an elderly parent in need of social care I am happy to pay parking to allow the council to pay for social care.”When the Chron asked WNC what the previous charges on a Saturday morning were a spokesperson confirmed that it was free, adding that it was a ‘benefit’ through a previous budget-setting process and its removal was considered and consulted on as part of this year’s budget process. The change has therefore been ‘implemented in line with the budget decisions agreed by the council’.The statement said: “Parking was free between 8.30am and 10am on Saturday mornings to support parkrun participants.“From 1 August, standard parking charges now apply in line with other country parks. There have been no other changes to parking tariffs at Brixworth Country Park.”Continue Reading
‘Disappointing’: Runners faced with parking charges at country park in Northamptonshire as council withdraws 90 minute ‘benefit’
