THE impact of new parking charges on small businesses in Midsomer Norton and Radstock has not been formally assessed by Bath and North East Somerset Council, councillors have been told.

The council introduced emissions-based parking charges to previously free car parks in Midsomer Norton and Radstock last year. The move was hugely controversial, with local shops telling the Local Democracy Reporting Service it would “kill the town.”

Now, at a council scrutiny panel on Thursday, January 22 councillor Eleanor Jackson (Westfield, Labour) asked if the council had done any studies into the impact on small businesses since the parking charges were bought in. She said: “I know of businesses who say it’s the last straw, they can’t take the parking charges for their staff.”

Council officers said: “We have not done any dedicated work on the impact on small businesses but we do look at national data and use data such as the association of town centre management who have seen no direct impact between low parking charges and economic vitality and vibrancy within any particular area. We do continue to monitor though and if any evidence comes forward we will consider it as part of the process.”

They said: “It is well recognised nationally that well managed parking facilities encourage high turnover of vehicles which generates additional economic viability and vitality in market towns. It is always a really difficult balance to recognise the requirements for those that have vehicles and want to park them for free, and manage it against those who have no access to a vehicle and have to pay for other forms of transport, such as buses, trains etc.”

The parking charges were introduced to South Road car park in Midsomer Norton and to Church Street and Waterloo Road car parks in Radstock in March 2025. People can still park for free for two hours, a compromise introduced by Bath and North East Somerset Council after the public outcry at the proposals.

The car parks use “emissions-based parking” where cars are charged an additional amount based on how polluting the engine is.

The system was first used for car parks in Bath in 2023. In 2024, ahead of the emissions based charges being introduced to Midsomer Norton and Radstock, Ms Jackson warned they would unfairly affect the poorest who could not afford an electric car. She compared them to something the Sheriff of Nottingham would do.