Parking meters were installed in two Radstock car parks at the end of last week, ahead of new restrictions that will limit the maximum stay in some spaces to four or five hours, but still allowing free parking, says B&NES Council.

The Waterloo Road and Church Street car parks will remain free for all users, but the Council hopes the new restrictions will support local businesses by improving access for shoppers and visitors with a regular turnover of spaces.

The new restrictions will come into force later this month and are being brought in to coincide with the expansion work to Church Street car park, which has seen the number of spaces increase by 21 to 89 following the loss of the car park at Victoria Hall, opposite the Post Office. Radstock has suffered from lack of parking in recent months, and businesses within the town have also voiced concern that there will be limited spaces for staff to leave their cars.

Councillor Anthony Clarke (Conservative, Lansdown), Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “We are committed to supporting the local economy and local businesses, so we are doing all that we can to ensure that shoppers and visitors to Radstock can find a free parking space easily.

“We have worked closely with local traders to determine the parking needs in Radstock and these new restrictions, combined with more free spaces at Church Street car park, will allow more people to enjoy the town and its businesses with a more regular turnover of spaces.”

The new restrictions are as follows: Church Street car park, hours of operation, Monday to Saturday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., excluding Bank Holidays. Maximum five hour stay on display of a free ticket from a pay and display machine, no return within one hour and free unlimited parking at all other times.

Waterloo Road car park, hours of operation, Monday to Saturday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., excluding Bank Holidays. Maximum four-hour stay in green bays on display of a free ticket from a pay and display machine, no return within one hour, free unlimited parking at all other times within green bays. The white parking bays are uncontrolled and provide free unlimited parking at all times.

The date that the new restrictions will come into force is being finalised and will be announced in due course. New signs will be installed throughout both car parks to alert users to the introduction of these new restrictions.

Readers are also being warned to be careful about returning to the Radstock Co-operative Society’s car park within one hour and to pay attention to restrictions there, after two residents got in touch to say they had been fined for re-entering. Mr Snow went to the Post Office within the Superstore for advice on sending a parcel, returned home to pick up the parcel and take it back to the store for posting, all within 45 minutes. He has since received a £100 fine from a private company, which runs the superstore’s car parking operation.

He said: “I want locals to realise that it is easy to get a ticket if you stop for five minutes and then come back within an hour. If you dropped someone off and returned to pick them up, or forgot something on your shopping list and went back – there are several scenarios that can get you a ticket. I am upset that a genuine customer using a public service such as the Post Office has been treated this way. If I lose the next appeal, my £4.40 parcel will have cost me £104.40.”