Somerset Sunday Parking Charges Delayed as Council Revises Plans

Somerset Parking Charges Could Rise 10% Before Sunday Fees Begin

Somerset Sunday Parking Charges Delayed for 12 Months Under Revised Plans Drivers in Wellington and across Somerset are set to get more time before Sunday parking charges are introduced, after Somerset Council revised its plans for changing car park charges. The introduction of Sunday parking charges is now expected to be delayed by 12 months, with a new phased approach proposed by the council. When will Somerset parking charges change? Under the revised proposals, existing car park charges would increase by 10% from January 2027. A new tier-based seven-day parking system would then be introduced later in autumn 2027, subject to approval by the council's Executive. Somerset Council said the revised approach follows feedback from local communities and the Climate, Environment and Place Scrutiny Committee. The council said the changes are intended to give drivers, businesses and communities more time to adjust, while allowing measures to be introduced to reduce the impact of the changes. Where parking charges have historically been particularly low, the council is proposing a phased approach rather than moving immediately to the full tiered tariff. Why is Somerset changing its parking system? The council said a review of car parks across Somerset found that the county had a patchwork of different parking charges. Councillor Liz Leyshon, Lead Member for Finance, Procurement and Performance, said the new unitary council had inherited a system that needed to become clearer and more consistent. The revised plans are intended to create a more consistent approach while recognising that different towns and communities have different circumstances. The proposals will be considered by Somerset Council's Executive next week. New parking machines and car park changes The proposals include up to £350,000 from the Parking Reserve to replace outdated payment machines across Somerset. For drivers, replacing older machines could make paying for parking more straightforward at affected car parks. The council is also proposing up to £150,000 to redesign parking bays at Taunton's Orchard Multi-Storey Car Park. The work would be carried out storey by storey and is intended to better accommodate larger and heavier vehicles, including electric vehicles. Changes to residents' parking and Park and Ride Somerset Council is also proposing to extend town-centre residents' parking schemes and on-street restrictions from six days to seven days. The changes would be introduced before any seven-day off-street parking charges come into effect. Another proposal would see a six-month trial of seven-day operation for the Taunton Park and Ride service. The council is also considering a framework that would allow city, town and parish councils to support local parking objectives if they choose to do so. For drivers, the key point is that the proposed changes have not yet taken effect. The revised timetable and recommendations still need to go through the council's decision-making process.