A leisure centre has told customers it will bring in a two-hour free parking limit amid concerns about availability since B&NES Council introduced charges to car parks across the district.

Customers of Dragonfly Leisure Centre, in Midsomer Norton, received an email from chief executive Matt Newington-Wise explaining the centre’s plans.

The email says the restrictions will be in place from Wednesday, May 14, as it aims to make sure customers are still able to park at the venue.

The limit appears to comes after the roll-out of emissions-based charges at car parks owned by Bath and North East Somerset council in Midsomer Norton and Radstock back in March, when they had previously been free to use.

The email states: “Bath and North East Somerset Council has recently introduced parking restrictions at the South Road public car park. While we understand the necessity of these measures, we are concerned about their impact on parking availability at our Midsomer Norton site.

“As you may already know, parking can be challenging at certain times, and restrictions at South Road have exacerbated the issue. To ensure that our valued customers have sufficient parking options, we have no choice but to implement the same two hour parking restriction at the leisure centre.”

It was explained in the email that this will be managed and operated by Countrywide Parking Management Solutions, an approved and accredited member of the British Parking Association.

There will be an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera system used to monitor the duration of stays, with parking restrictions to be kept in place at all times.

There will also be a 30 minute no return policy at the car park.

The email from Mr Newington-Wise says that customers using the indoor facilities for over two hours can request an extended stay at reception. Customers who may need to use the high street during their stay can pay for additional time.

The email, which was also shared to social media, said: “This is the best approach to ensure everyone can park without charge and access our facilities for up to two hours daily. We understand that some of our customers may visit the High Street following their booking(s), so we will introduce a convenient payment option through the RingGo app for those requiring an extended stay.

“In this instance, customers can pay for three or more hours of parking at just £1.50 per hour. Customers genuinely using our indoor facilities for longer than two hours can request an extended stay at reception, where bookings will be checked and verified.”

The email also outlines that customers looking to attend the leisure centre’s new ‘Dynamite Adventure Golf’ course will be directed to use the South Road Car Park via a booking confirmation email.

New signage will be erected soon at the junction of Gullock Tyning outlining this, expected to be up by Wednesday May 14 alongside the new charges.

The email from Mr Newington-Wise closes by stating: “We genuinely value your loyalty and custom and want to ensure that your experience remains seamless and enjoyable. These parking measures will help us achieve this goal.”