Self-driving shuttle buses could be coming to Northampton
A new passenger shuttle service linking Northampton railway station with the town's hospital and university could eventually be run by self-driving vehicles, under long-term transport plans now open for public consultation.
West Northamptonshire Council has published a draft Northampton Area Transport Strategy, setting out how it wants to improve transport across the town up to 2036 and beyond.
Among the proposals are two new passenger shuttle routes, one connecting the railway station to Northampton General Hospital, and another linking the station to the University of Northampton's Waterside campus.
According to the strategy, both would start out using a conventional small bus, before potentially being replaced in the longer term by an autonomous shuttle, similar to a pilot scheme already running in Milton Keynes.
The Milton Keynes shuttles are designed to operate at low speeds, under 15mph, in busy pedestrian areas, and the trial was extended in 2025 to cover more routes.
The shuttle proposals form part of a wider package of sixty-one priority schemes, shortlisted from an original list of a hundred and fifty-five potential transport improvements.
Other priority schemes include new walking and cycling routes, bus priority measures on key roads, so-called "mobility hubs" to improve connections between different forms of transport, and smarter parking and travel information systems.
Priority areas named in the strategy include Harborough Road and Kettering Road, along with better connections to Brackmills and Weston Favell, and improved access to the town centre and major employment sites.
Councillor Richard Butler, the council's Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said anyone who travels around Northampton "knows there are times when the network comes under pressure."
"As the town continues to grow, we need to think carefully about how people get to work, school, the shops and other key destinations," he said.
"We're looking at ideas that could improve bus services, make it safer and easier to walk and cycle, and help tackle congestion in some of the busiest parts of the town."
Cllr Butler said "nothing has been decided yet," and the council wants people to look at the proposals and share their views.
"Local knowledge is incredibly important, and we want residents to help shape these plans," he said.
The consultation on the draft strategy closes at 23:59 on 15th November 2026, after which feedback will be analysed and a final version taken to Cabinet for approval.