Nailsea Town Council have firmly declined the proposals set forward by North Somerset Council to introduce new parking charges to Nailsea.

The Council’s proposal’s aimed to introduce parking charges to the streets in Nailsea and other towns in order to try and create a self-funding parking scheme that pays for its repairs through fines, as well as helping parking space, traffic flow and encourage sustainable travel.

However, Nailsea Town Council said that NSC’s previous questionnaire on the issues was “exceptionally leading” and that the parking proposals do not benefit the town of Nailsea and it’s residents.

Councillor Anita Smith, Chair of NTC, said: “According to NSC, ‘local businesses outside of Weston-Super-Mare and residents have been calling for measures to improve the way parking is managed to support local economies and town centres and improve amenities for residents’. 

“In fact the feedback the Town Council has received is quite contrary to this viewpoint. 

“These proposals will not support local economies, nor will they improve amenities for residents; quite the opposite in fact. 

“These proposals could be the final straw for many traders in the town centre recovering from a cost of living crisis and Covid, so they should be abandoned by NSC. 

“We strongly urge NSC to give up this unpopular plan to tax the motorist to fund other services as it is regressive and unfair, affecting those on low incomes the worst. 

“We urge them instead to focus on supporting the town centre traders by advertising and capitalising on the Unique Selling Point (USP) of free parking encouraging people to shop locally instead.”

In a statement after the proposal NTC also added: “NTC does not see how the strategy meets the current and future needs of Nailsea.

“It neither supports our local economy or responds to the challenges of the climate emergency.

“It is not clear how the introduction of parking charges upholds NSC ambitions for a health community with safe and attractive places for residents and visitors to use.

“Charging for the parking in Nailsea is unlikely to be self-funding.

“The current car park users will look elsewhere to park, e.g. Crown Glass Shopping Centre, Waitrose and Tesco car parks.

“The income from parking charges will not cover the ongoing costs for such a scheme, nor touch the costs of making improvements to Clevedon Road or Station Road.

“Going forward, Nailsea residents could be subsidising a scheme, which they did not support in the first place.”