PLANS to introduce parking charges in free car parks across Somerset could have a negative affect on businesses, a councillor has said.
Somerset Council announced it is considering a wave of changes to parking in the county as it scrambles to raise money to plug its £52 million budget gap.
The changes include introducing a new county-wide overnight charge in car parks, introducing charges at car parks that are currently free, charges for Sunday parking, and introducing on-street charging to limited waiting bays in town centres.
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The council said the changes were being considered in a bid to bring consistency across Somerset, as they say there are different rates and charging principles applied across the county’s 200 or so council-run car parks.
A protest against the plans has been organised for Wiveliscombe this weekend.
Organisers are asking people to come out in force to Croft Way car park in Wiveliscombe on Saturday, March 1 at 10am.
They say plans to introduce new charges in free car parks could cost residents over £1,000 per year from daily charges of £2 and evening/night charges of £1.
“Shoppers will abandon Wiveliscombe”
Somerset councillor Dave Mansell said: “It is feared that many people will avoid the charges by parking in local streets, adding to problems with access being blocked and others then being unable to park near their homes.
“Local shop keepers are concerned that shoppers will abandon Wiveliscombe and go to out-of-town supermarkets instead.”
Somerset Council’s lead member for transport and waste, councillor Richard Wilkins said the changes would mean parking services in the county could be self-financed.
“We have many car parks in Somerset and there are significant costs and challenges involved in running and maintaining them,” he said.
“It’s really important we bring fairness and uniformity in charges across the county and in turn, the extra income will help ensure the parking service is fully self-financed and can continue to be run, staffed and maintained properly.”
Somerset Council will decide on the new charges at meetings on March 3 and 5.
A council scrutiny committee has already rejected the charges, saying public consultation is needed first and action taken to avoid the impacts.
But income from the new charges is still shown in the council’s budget for 2025/26, which is to be decided at the same meetings.
It will also lead to more delivery vans in Wiveliscombe – if people can’t park for shopping the big supermarkets and delivery companies will be getting a lot more trade. It’s bad enough for the residents carrying purchases made in local businesses outside Wivey if you can’t park close to your house. It is also an extra tax on those of us living without our own parking.