Hereford supporters could soon face a major matchday parking headache with the city’s biggest car park set to close.
Merton Meadow, the 650-space council-owned car park next to Edgar Street which earns Herefordshire Council £2,512.08 a day on average, is earmarked for redevelopment.
The council has already approved plans to turn the northern section of the car park into a flood alleviation wetland, with work due to start soon. This will then allow a 400-home "urban village" to be built on the southern section of the car park.
On granting planning permission for the wetland, Herefordshire Council said alternative car park is available elsewhere in the city, but a Bulls News investigation reveals it will be stretched to its limits.
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| The northern section of Merton Meadow flooded in December 2019 |
A recent report into city centre parking, obtained via a freedom of information request as part of the Bulls News investigation, lays bare just how much the car park is relied upon on Saturdays – and the scale of the challenge when it disappears.
Matchday squeeze
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| The northern section of the Merton Meadow pictured at 2.40pm as 2,854 watched King's Lynn Town beat Hereford 2-0 |
On an average weekday, Merton Meadow operates at only around 38% occupancy, but Saturdays tell a different story. Analysis of ticket machine and phone payment data from RingGo data shows demand peaks at around 300 vehicles, compared with 175 on weekdays.
However, while the bulk of the survey focussed on April 2023 to April 2024, there was further analysis of the December parking demand to understand the peak demand for the car park, and the influence of Hereford's home fixtures on parking demand.
In December 2023, when three Hereford FC home games coincided with the Christmas shopping rush, the car park was close to full. Demand peaked at up to 89% capacity at 2.30pm. However, the report notes the the 'actual peak' would be between 59% and 89%, when taking parking permits into account.
Crowds at Edgar Street that month underlined the pressure. A 5–1 defeat to Scunthorpe on December 2 drew 2,870 fans. On December 9, 1,001 watched a 1–0 FA Trophy win over South Park. And on December 23, 2,707 turned out to see the Bulls edge Spennymoor 2–1. Each fixture pushed parking around the ground close to breaking point.
Overall, Hereford’s average gate has risen from 2,471 in 2023/24 to 2,712 in 2024/25, with 2,538 so far this season. Bigger crowds mean even more demand for spaces within walking distance of the stadium.
Hereford FC have remained tight-lipped on the future of the Merton Meadow car park, but have been engaging with the council.
Displaced demand
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| The southern section of the Merton Meadow pictured at 2.45pm as 2,854 watched King's Lynn Town beat Hereford 2-0 |
Consultants PJA, commissioned by the council, estimated that up to 490 cars could be displaced on a busy Saturday if Merton Meadow closes. Around 193 permit holders, many of them NHS staff, also currently use the site.
The modelling suggests some of that demand could be absorbed by Maylord Orchards and the Garrick multi-storey, which have spare capacity during the week. But on Saturdays, especially in December, the report warns that “all car parks with the exception of St Martins 2 and Wye Street would be expected to operate at the 90% capacity cap” once Merton Meadow is gone.
The 93-space St Martins 2 and 74-space Wye Street car parks are a mile from Edgar Street, near Hereford Leisure Pool south of the River Wye.
Merton Meadow is currently among the cheapest Herefordshire Council car parks in the city, classed as zone three, with alternatives such as Garrick House multi-storey costing £1.80 more for a three-hour stay for a Saturday afternoon match.
In practice, that means longer walks, busier queues at entrances, and more drivers heading to supermarket or residential streets.
A looming problem
On a typical spring Saturday, the council believes the city’s remaining 1,434 spaces could just about cope without Merton Meadow, operating at around 91% full. But in December, when football and shopping collide, demand is forecast to exceed capacity altogether.
As things stand, there is no confirmed replacement lined up for the hundreds of cars that currently pour into Merton Meadow on matchdays. A new multi-storey car park on the Country Bus Station multi-storey remains only an option.
For fans used to pulling into the car park behind the Meadow End, the convenience could soon vanish. And with attendances on the rise, Hereford supporters may have to plan their matchday routines around an increasingly scarce resource: somewhere to park.
This article is part of an original Bulls News investigation into the future of Merton Meadow and what its closure means for Hereford supporters. More to follow.