PEOPLE are being urged to have their say over controversial plans to introduce Sunday charges for parking across Somerset.

A public consultation has been launched over plans to introduce Sunday charges at Somerset Council car parks.

Currently, there are different charging rules applied across the county’s 200-plus council-run car parks, and the authority wants to harmonise the charging policy – which has not been reviewed since the unitary council was created in 2023.

“Under the previous five councils there were different approaches to Sunday charges in car parks,” a council spokesperson said.

“This means there are currently Sunday charges at many car parks, including for example in Watchet, Minehead, Wells, Glastonbury, Cheddar, Street, Frome, Shepton Mallet, Williton and Burnham-on-Sea.

“However, there are no charges currently in Taunton, Wellington, Bridgwater, Chard. Crewkerne, Yeovil and Highbridge.

“The aim of the proposal is to bring consistency across Somerset while also ensuring the parking service continues to be completely self-funded to cover staffing, serving and administrating penalty notices, and managing and maintaining car parks to a high level.”

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Sunday charges – which were approved by the authority’s Executive earlier this year – are one part of that harmonisation process, the council said.

Now, the public are being urged to have their say before any final decision is made.

The consultation started today (September 8) and runs for six weeks, closing on October 20, with the public and businesses urged to take part.

Lead member for transport and waste, Councillor Richard Wilkins, said: “I would encourage everyone to have their say – this is a really important consultation and we will be considering everyone’s views before final decisions are taken.

“We have many car parks in Somerset and there are significant costs and challenges involved in running and maintaining them.

“The proposal is about ensuring more consistency and fairness 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.”

The council’s Executive also previously committed to public consultation on the potential introduction of on-street charging after a free 30-minute stopover and charging in free car parks.

Those proposals will be developed following further engagement on an area by area basis with local members and town and parish councils, and further public consultation.

Following the Sunday changes consultation, the plans will be considered at the council’s Climate and Place Scrutiny Committee, before final decisions are taken by the Executive on December 3.

If agreed, any changes would come into effect in 2026.