Car parking charges set to rise across the county – By Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Mumby

CAR parking charges across Somerset are set to rise by 10% in light of persistent high inflation.

Somerset Council has published proposals to increase the prices at all its off-street car parks, as well as the on-street parking it manages and the costs of the season tickets which it issues.

An increase in these areas was built into the council’s annual budget, which was approved in February – with the council estimating the increase could generate an additional £726,000.

The council said the increase would be necessary to allow it to continue delivering public services at their current level.

Charges will also rise for season tickets, with the cost of parking at Frome’s Cattle Market rising from £620 a year to £682.

The council’s parking services manager Steve Deakin said, “Parking charges and fees are to be increased to reflect recent inflationary pressures and to maintain the encouragement to alternative types of transport to town centres, such as buses, cycling and car sharing.

“The increased charges and fees will enable the council to continue to meet its overall transport objectives without increasing an additional demand on the general expenditure fund.”

Across all the council’s off-street car parks, charges will rise by up to 10% with prices being rounded up where necessary.

For example, at the Cattle Market car park in Frome, the cost of parking for up to three hours will rise from £2 to £2.20 – and the cost of parking at the Merchants Barton car park will rise from £1.50 to £1.70 for a two-hour period.

Somerset Council’s service director for infrastructure and transport, David Carter said, “We are always reluctant to increase charges, particularly during the cost of living crisis. However, with inflation running at 10% we have to recover our costs of running the service.

“Any revenue generated will be ring-fenced and put back into meeting transport and highways objectives.”