‘Somerset parking charges would be the end of my business’

Traders in two Somerset towns have voiced concerns over plans for new parking charges.

Bath and North East Somerset Council wants to make £195,000 by rolling out its “emissions-based” parking charges in Midsomer Norton and Keynsham.

One shop owner on Midsomer Norton High Street, who commutes from Frome, said she would close her business if she had to pay parking charges every day.

The council’s cabinet member for transport Manda Rigby said: “A lot of people who are on very low-income have no vehicle whatsoever and they are breathing in other people’s pollution.”

She added: “I think it’s fair that we protect those people as well.

“Our aim is to improve air quality, reduce congestion and encourage other ways to travel across Bath and North East Somerset and these proposals would be another step in the right direction to achieve this.”

Under the proposals, charges will be introduced at Midsomer Norton’s South Road car park, and Church Street and Waterloo Road car parks in Radstock.

The pay and display machines look up a vehicle’s emissions from the DVLA and charge based on how much carbon is emitted or, if this information is not available, the capacity of the engine.

Emissions-based charges will also be rolled out to all on-street pay and display locations in Bath, and council car parks in Keynsham.

At a council scrutiny panel in March, councillor Shaun Hughes said that Midsomer Norton did not have the same air quality problem as Bath.

He added: “In Midsomer Norton, a lot of our residents can’t afford an electric car.

“They can’t afford the latest fuel efficient vehicles. Some of them have to drive a 20-year-old diesel Astra.

“They don’t want to; that’s what they have to drive to be able to get around to do their job, and you’re penalising them.”

Current car parking prices in Bath will also go up under the plans and motorbikes and other DVLA-registered two and three wheeled vehicles will need to pay to park for the first time.