Midsomer Norton Town Councillors have been debating parking issues within the town, in response to a stakeholder questionnaire on the emotive subject, released by B&NES Council.
B&NES is in the early stages of developing a Parking Strategy for the whole of the local authority area, which will review existing parking policies and come up with a long-term plan for the area. It covers public off-street parking, including all Council-run car parks, on-street parking, including residents’ parking zones, publicly available private, non-residential, off-street parking, and park and ride schemes. Stakeholder views are sought from Bath, Keynsham and Saltford, Chew Valley and the Somer Valley.
Councillors mainly expressed fears that parking charges could be introduced in South Road car park, Midsomer Norton, in future. There was a long debate about the use of South Road car park for long-term stays, with suggestions that people are using the car park either to stay there whilst they catch a bus to Bath or Bristol, or leaving vehicles even longer whilst they go to London or further afield on coach trips. It was suggested that half of the car park is currently taken up by workers within the town, and that perhaps there could be a long stay and short stay introduced, with long stay at the top of the site and short stay to help shoppers and encourage space turnover.
Councillors voiced their concerns about the fragility of the trade in the town centre and the possibility that should ticketing machines be installed, as they have been in Radstock for a free ticket for five hours, this could only eventually lead to one thing – charging. And in these cash-strapped times, this could be a good source of income for the Local Authority.
There were also ideas such as talking with private car parking companies to free up space and to introduce designated reserved taxi spaces when the High Street is closed during events such as the Carnival, M-Fest and the Lantern Parade at Christmas.
Radstock’s questions also covered the use of car parks for commuters, running their own park and ride scheme and whether there would be a benefit of formalising this activity. It also asks if respondents would support discussions with the Co-op to secure better use of their car park, and for views on current provision of parking and if a charging structure should be introduced at Waterloo Road and Church Street.