Motorists in Weston-super-Mare and its neighboring areas will soon have to pay significantly more for parking, as North Somerset Council has approved a substantial increase in parking charges across its council-owned car parks. The decision, which aims to bridge a funding shortfall from the central Government, will go into effect from 8th April.
The new charges will see fees for one hour at Carlton Street Car Park, Melrose Car Park, and Knightstone Causeway Car Park rise to £1.60, with two hours at £2.80, three hours at £4, and 24-hour parking at £14. Notably, Beach Road Car Park will see its one-hour and two-hour charges double to £1 and £2, respectively, with all-day parking now costing £3. Meanwhile, all-day parking at Worle Parkway Diamond Batch Car Park, Nailsea and Backwell Station Car Park will be priced at £2.60, and 24 hours of parking at Hampton Car Park will set motorists back £7.
North Somerset Council has already placed notices of the impending changes on pay machines across the affected car parks. However, it’s important to note that these changes are distinct from an ongoing consultation that may result in the end of free parking in Nailsea, Clevedon, and Portishead.
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In a statement, a spokeswoman for North Somerset Council explained the rationale behind the move, stating that the charges have not been adjusted annually to account for inflation, benchmarking against other authorities, and ensuring consistency. She emphasized that while many charges have remained stagnant for eight years, costs have escalated during this period. The Council claims that their charges are comparative and, in most cases, cheaper than those in other South West areas, including stations and similar large seaside resorts.
For a comprehensive breakdown of the updated charges, the full report is accessible to the public.