The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority agreed at the end of January 2026 to allocate funding for a two‑year free‑parking trial in Peterborough and parts of Huntingdonshire. The initiative is designed to support local shops and boost city‑centre footfall by removing charges in council‑owned off‑street car parks for the duration of the trial.
Mayor Paul Bristow, the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, led the proposal, which allocates £1.5 million in total — £750,000 for 2026/27 and £750,000 for 2027/28 — to underpin the trial. The scheme is intended to begin at the start of the 2026/27 financial year (April 2026). The Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce has welcomed the move, arguing that parking costs can deter shoppers from using independent local businesses.
According to reporting the £750,000 per year allocations are intended to cover the income councils would otherwise receive from parking charges. The Combined Authority says it will provide the funding to Peterborough City Council to offset the expected loss of parking revenue while the trial is in place.
While supporters say the trial may help revive high streets, the budget has provoked controversy because some transport subsidies have been reduced to help balance the books. At the same Combined Authority meeting the decision led to the planned withdrawal of subsidies for some rural routes (the BBC reported the 13B and 19A among those affected) and consultations on others — prompting criticism that the measure prioritises motorists over regular public‑transport users.
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