RESIDENTS and business owners have spoken of their frustration at proposals to increase parking charges to Midsomer Norton.
Bath and North East Somerset Council is consulting on the move, which could spell an end to free parking at South Road car park and others in the district.
While the move is yet to be confirmed, the Journal spoke to a number of people in the town about the issue which they fear will put people off visiting.
If parking charges are brought in, the cost will be determined on the level of emissions each vehicle produces.
Fredrika Wilcox, who works at Muffins Bakery, said: “The parking charges would be atrocious. They would stop people from coming to the town and would prevent locals from getting jobs, as people will not want to drive here and then pay to park.”
A co-worker, who did not give her name, said: “The elderly people of this area are very reliant on the high street, and parking charges may disrupt their ability to visit the doctors, opticians, and other necessary services.”
Chris Day, owner of The High Street DIY, said: “We are doing all this building work on the town hall, the new market square, etcetera, to try and bring people into the town to use local businesses and stalls. However, the parking charges will counteract this - people will use the supermarket car parks instead, disrupting everything happening in the town.”
Kelly Copeman, joint owner of Magpie in Holly Court, said: “The car park charges are ridiculous, as we won’t get anybody in. As we are a new business, this will be dire for us. I drive a 23-year-old car, and if they put charges on emissions, I won’t be able to afford to come to work. I know I live locally, but I use my car frequently to bring in stock and various bits and pieces.”
John Milner, who lives Stratton-on-the-Foss, said: “Quite frankly, coming here and paying for it just isn’t on, and I’d go somewhere else instead.”
Bath and North East Somerset Council have approved plans to end free parking in Midsomer Norton, Keynsham and Radstock car parks as part of its bid to balance its books.
Bath already adopts emission-based car parking charges, meaning people with higher polluting vehicles are being asked to pay slightly more to encourage a shift to cleaner, more sustainable travel in the city.