Plans by Somerset Council to introduce Sunday car-parking charges across the county have been branded “a tax on families, pensioners and small businesses” by local Conservative candidate, who says the move will harm local businesses and is being driven by the Liberal Democrats’ financial mismanagement at County Hall.
The consultation, which runs until 20 October, proposes new charges in council-run car parks on Sundays for the first time. The changes are part of a wider plan to make the council’s parking service “self-funding” as it faces a £52 million budget gap and a declared financial emergency.
Critics say the proposals will hit local shops, cafés and pubs at the very moment many are struggling to recover.
Economic analysis from towns such as Shrewsbury and Sidmouth has shown that higher parking tariffs can lead to reduced footfall and spending, with smaller, more rural towns often hit hardest. In tourist destinations like Dunster and Minehead, campaigners warn that the policy could drive visitors to out-of-town retail parks or rival seaside towns where parking remains free.
James Bellamy, the Conservative candidate in the forthcoming Dunster by-election, said, “I started and run a fish and chip shop, so I know first-hand how fragile trade can be, especially on a Sunday, when locals and visitors alike come into town for a coffee, a roast, or to browse the shops.
Introducing parking charges on Sundays will be the final straw for many small traders. It’s a direct hit on families, pensioners, and tourists who just want an affordable day out. The Council should be supporting our high streets, not taxing them.”
Mr Bellamy said the Liberal Democrat-run council was using parking charges to “plug the black hole they created through years of mismanagement”.
“This is not about managing congestion or improving services, it’s about papering over a financial crisis of their own making. Somerset Council has admitted it’s effectively broke, with a £52 million gap and tens of millions spent on consultants having already raised council tax by more than the maximum. Now they’re turning to ordinary residents to pay the price,” he added.
The Conservative campaign in Dunster is urging residents to respond to send the Liberal Democrats a clear message, and vote for James Bellamy on the 23rd of October.
