Student car parking
The University has car parks at both Avenue Campus and Park Campus, with separate areas for staff and students. However, current County Council strategic planning guidelines only allow the University to have a maximum of one parking space for every ten students, so spaces are therefore in short supply, with the situation being particularly acute during term time.
Please consider using an alternative form of travel such as car sharing, taking the bus, cycling or walking. The University provides free inter-campus bus travel for all students and staff, all day Monday to Friday, with discounted bus travel available from other key locations in Northampton.
Student car parking
As a result of the limited number of spaces, on-campus parking restrictions apply to all students, whether you will be living in Halls of Residence or living off-campus.
Campus car parks
All campus car parks are barrier-controlled, so if you want to park on campus you must apply for a barrier access card (see links above). Please be aware that you may not be eligible to park on campus. Even if you are eligible, you will not be guaranteed a parking space on campus.
Park Campus
Car Park 3 is the main student car park for use by students who live off-campus and have a barrier access card. You will only be eligible to use this car park if you have a valid barrier card. You should enter the site via the roundabout on Boughton Green Road near Sunley Conference Centre (the entrance closest to Kingsthorpe and Kingsthorpe College) in order to enter Car Park 3 via the access barriers at the car park entrance. The only exit from Car Park 3 is on the opposite (Moulton Park) side of the car park.
Avenue Campus
Car Parks 1 and 2 are the main student car parks for use by students who live off-campus and have a barrier access card. You will only be eligible to use this car park if you have a valid barrier card. You should enter the site via the main driveway from St George's Avenue (to the left of Maidwell building when looking from the front) in order to enter Car Park 1 or 2 via the access barriers at the car park entrance.
The speed limit at both Park and Avenue campus is ten miles per hour (10mph). Please stick to it. Speed monitoring equipment is in use on site.
On-campus parking enforcement
Please note that the land at Avenue Campus and Park Campus is privately owned, including the car parks and campus roadways (from the junctions with St. George's Avenue and Boughton Green Road respectively).
Car parking and access roadways at Avenue Campus and Park Campus are monitored by University Security. From 7 January 2013, parking enforcement will be undertaken by The Car Parking Partnership, on behalf of The University of Northampton.
By entering the campus by vehicle and parking on site you are entering into a Contractual Agreement to enter and/or park. Please do not park on campus unless you agree to the conditions and terms of contract.
If you fail to comply with any of these conditions you agree to pay a parking charge of £70 within 28 days, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days (a Civil Parking Notice - CPN - to this effect will be issued to you by The Car Parking Partnership).
Certain car parking areas on campus have additional conditions of use which are displayed on local signs.
Health and safety can be severely compromised when access routes and footpaths are blocked by cars, both for pedestrians and when the emergency services need to attend the site. Please park considerately on campus - do not park on footpaths, pavements or verges. According to The Highway Code, double yellow lines indicate no waiting at any time and apply equally to the carriageway, pavement and verge when laid on the road.
The University accepts no responsibility for any loss from, or damage to, vehicles parked in the car parks.
Roads around the University
Please think carefully about possible travel alternatives before bringing your car to the University. Roads around both campuses are heavily congested at commuting times and when local schools start/finish.
If you are eligible to bring your car to the University please use the car parking provided on the University campuses. Do not park on local roads unless absolutely necessary. Please note that cars should not be parked on the Kingsthorpe College or Malcolm Arnold Academy (formerly Unity College) sites, or at the Sunnyside public house or Freemasons Hall.
Historically students and staff have parked in the roads surrounding the University and this can cause severe disruption to our local residents. There is considerable cause for concern when access routes and driveways are blocked, particularly if there is ever a need for the emergency services to attend a property. Many of the local roads also require access for buses and refuse vehicles. If these vehicles are unable to manoeuvre then the residents can endure an unacceptable standard of living.
Please be considerate to our local residents when using roads around the University, and be aware that a number of roads have daytime parking restrictions in operation.
County Council parking attendants will issue penalty charge notices to motorists who ignore parking restrictions and park inappropriately and the Police can issue Fixed Penalty Notices to vehicles found to be causing an obstruction on local roads for other users and pedestrians, such as being parked on pavements and verges, or blocking the road and driveways and may tow vehicles away if necessary. You have been warned!
Further information on parking restrictions around Park Campus.