Somerset Conservatives have submitted a petition signed by 4,177 residents calling on Somerset Council to rethink its proposed parking charges.
The Stop the Parking Hike petition was sent to the council by Cllr Diogo Rodrigues, Leader of the Conservative Opposition. The campaign passed 2,000 signatures on 17th September and has since more than doubled in size.
The petition calls on the Liberal Democrat administration to:
- Keep Sunday parking free in council-owned car parks in towns where no Sunday charge currently applies, and remove the introduction of Sunday charging from the current proposals.
- Reconsider proposed increases to existing parking tariffs, particularly where the new tier system would result in substantial increases for residents, workers and visitors.
- Keep currently free council car parks free, rather than progressing proposals to introduce new charges at these locations.
- Do not introduce new on-street parking charges without the support of the affected local community and businesses, including the proposals currently being considered for towns across Somerset.
Cllr Diogo Rodrigues said:
“The Liberal Demoracts allocated £272,824 to consultants for this parking review, and now want residents to pay more to park. Families and local businesses should not be made to pay for the council’s financial mismanagement.
“People are worried about what higher parking charges will mean for their household budgets, local shops and our town and village centres. We have submitted their signatures to the council, and we will keep collecting them until a decision is taken."
Cllr Bob Filmer, Somerset Conservatives’ Opposition Spokesman for Transport, said:
“These proposals would make it more expensive to visit towns and villages across Somerset. The council needs to take seriously the strength of feeling from the thousands of people who have signed and reconsider the impact on our high streets.”
Residents can continue to sign the Stop the Parking Hike petition at Stop the Parking Hike | Somerset County
