Somerset Council’s Executive will meet on Wednesday (October 7th) to consider proposals to introduce a revised and phased move towards a more consistent approach to parking charges across the county to include increased charges in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge.
The proposals follow a review of the council’s car parks and would introduce a new county-wide, tier-based charging system. They form part of the Local Government Reorganisation that brought five councils together from April 2023.
A petition signed by 4,177 residents is calling on Somerset Council to rethink the proposed increases. The ‘Stop the Parking Hike petition’ was sent to the council by Cllr Diogo Rodrigues, Leader of the Conservative opposition, as Burnham-On-Sea.com reported here.
In Highbridge, Bank Street car park currently charges Monday to Saturday, with all‑day parking costing £4.60. Under the proposed changes, that would rise to £6.80, with charging extended to Sundays for the first time.
Burnham-On-Sea’s main council car parks already charge on Sundays, but increases are also planned. At Oxford Street, pictured, all‑day parking would rise from £5.80 to £6.80.
Somerset Council’s own documents classify Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge as a “high” priority for on‑street parking intervention, proposing charges in currently free limited‑waiting areas across the town centre.
There are currently different rates and charging principles across Somerset’s 120 council-run chargeable car parks, and the system has not been reviewed since Somerset Council was created in 2023.
Following feedback from the community and the council’s Climate, Environment and Place Scrutiny Committee, says the plans have been revised to a phased approach, to give drivers, businesses and communities more time to adjust and for mitigations to be put in place.
If approved, existing car park charges would rise by 10% from January 2027, with the tier-based system starting later in the autumn of 2027. Where charges have historically been particularly low, increases would initially move only part of the way towards the proposed tier tariff.
Councillor Liz Leyshon, Lead Member for Finance, Procurement and Performance, says: “As a new unitary council, we inherited a patchwork system for parking charges which is fundamentally unfair.”
“We have a duty to address this, and these proposals are about creating a clearer and more consistent system, while recognising that every town and community is different. We have listened to the issues raised at scrutiny and by the community and have revised the approach so that changes are phased where current charges are especially low.”
No decisions will be taken at this stage on introducing charges at car parks which are currently free. The council says it would first engage with communities, local councillors, businesses and other stakeholders on free car parks, on-street parking, permits, concessions and future payment arrangements.
Any proposals requiring changes to parking orders or traffic regulation orders would also go through the relevant statutory process, including consultation and consideration of objections.
Councillor Leyshon added: “Importantly, apart from initial changes to enable on-street restrictions to be in force seven days a week in town centres, there will be engagement before any local decisions are made about currently free car parks, on-street parking, permits or concessions. We want communities and local representatives to help shape proposals and ensure local impacts are properly understood.”
Somerset Conservatives say the Liberal Democrat administration has backed down under pressure from residents over its parking proposals, but is still pressing ahead with higher charges.
Brent Knoll’s Cllr Bob Filmer, Somerset Conservatives’ Opposition Spokesman for Transport, pictured, said: “The amended recommendations are an improvement, but I remain concerned that they lay the groundwork for the previous proposals to return later. Residents, businesses and councillors should have been involved before these conclusions were reached. Consultation after an in-principle decision is too late.”
“I still have not seen an assessment of what the final changes would mean for local businesses and communities. The council also appears to be counting on uncertain parking income rather than starting with its policy of supporting our commercial centres. Once again, it is delaying the final decisions and leaving the council elected next May to deal with the consequences.”
