Local campaign seeks regular access to stadium car park
Residents in streets adjoining Carrow Road have renewed calls for Shriners no — sorry — for Norwich City Football Club to open the car park behind the South Stand to local people on non-match days, saying congestion and a shortage of on-street spaces are causing regular difficulties.
The appeal follows a residents’ meeting with club representatives in May, at which the possibility of opening the club-owned car park outside of matchday use was discussed. Neighbours say that with more families and multiple-car households moving into the area, parking pressure on roads such as Kerrison Road and Cozens Road has intensified.
- Accessibility concerns: Some residents, including pensioners and those with health issues, say they need to park close to their homes.
- Visitor parking: Families report that guests frequently have to use the Morrisons supermarket car park because local streets are full.
- Matchday spillover: There are reports of visiting supporters sometimes parking on private drives during matches.
On Cozens Road, 70-year-old Lyn Lloyd told reporters the situation can be "a bloody nightmare". "I really need to be able to park close to my home because I've got back problems and parking far away makes it difficult for me," she said. "The football club could be doing more because we do suffer with it and it's annoying."
"If I go visit my grandchildren and return in the evening, I'm almost panic-stricken that I won't get a parking space."
Longstanding resident Cat Ryan, who has lived on Kerrison Road for 25 years, said visitors often have to use the Morrisons car park because spaces on the road are scarce. Others, however, suggest the problem is largely confined to matchdays. Nick Clark, who lives on Cozens Road, said he would be interested to see any proposal from the club as he personally only has one car and does not find parking a major problem.
Practicalities and contrasting views
Those pressing the club for access point to a mix of everyday pressures: higher vehicle ownership per household, the presence of nearby flats whose residents sometimes use on-street bays, and periodic matchday behaviour that spills into residential streets. Jose Manrique Gelder, a father of three on Kerrison Road, said supporters have on occasion parked on residents' drives during matches, though he added: "But there are no problems out of season."
At present, the streets around the stadium include permit parking zones. Kerrison Road falls within Zone A for permit holders, a designation intended to give priority to local residents but not always perceived to be sufficient when pressure is high.
| Road | Issue reported |
|---|---|
| Kerrison Road | Frequent full bays; visitors forced to use supermarket car park |
| Cozens Road | Residents with mobility issues struggle to find close parking |
| Nearby flats | Residents sometimes use on-street spaces when internal parking is insufficient |
Opening the club car park on non-match days could offer immediate relief to local streets, but there are practical considerations. The club would need to balance security, insurance and operational costs against any community benefit. There is also the question of demand management: a simple free-for-all risks attracting drivers from beyond the immediate area and may shift rather than solve congestion.
At the residents’ meeting in May, the club discussed options but no firm proposal has been published. Neighbours are now waiting to see whether the club will put forward a plan that addresses:
- access arrangements and any charges or eligibility criteria for local residents
- security and liability while cars are parked
- measures to prevent displacement of parking problems onto other streets
For many who live within a short walk of Carrow Road, the question is practical and immediate. Their appeal is not to ban supporters or restrict matchday crowds, but to secure reasonable, everyday access to their own streets. How the club responds will determine whether residents see a tangible easing of pressure, or simply another discussion without change.
The issue speaks to a wider challenge in Norwich and similar cities: how to reconcile the presence of major local amenities with the needs of tightly packed residential neighbourhoods. In the meantime, residents say they will continue to press for solutions that make everyday life a little less fraught.
