Free car parks in North Somerset could cost £3.50 per day

Portishead, Clevedon and Nailsea have always had free car parks.

But North Somerset Council’s executive is set to vote next week on bringing in parking charges for many of the free car parks and on-street parking locations in the towns as it seeks to balance its books and avoid issuing a Section 114 notice.

If approved, charges could go live in the first car parks in February.

In most car parks affected, it will cost £1 to park for an hour, £1.50 to park for two hours, £2.50 for three hours, and £3.50 for all day. But car parks at the Portishead Lake grounds and in some on-street locations in Clevedon will cost more.

All parking charges would apply from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday. A full list of the proposed charges is included at the bottom of this article.

Charging for parking in Portishead, Clevedon and Nailsea has been controversial and caused concern among many since it was first proposed as part of North Somerset Council’s budget earlier this year.

When the “parking strategy” went out for consultation in February, councillor Ash Cartman (Long Ashton, Liberal Democrat) warned: “It’s not a parking strategy, its a Trojan horse full of traffic wardens waiting to swan round streets imposing fines on people.

“Now, that may not be true, but it is what people fear.”

But Mark Canniford, the council’s executive member for spacial planning, placemaking, and economy, said that the council’s financial position had become even more desperate since then.

He said: “We were already facing significant financial pressures when we agreed to go to consultation on parking proposals in February 2024.

“Since then, these pressures have only worsened”

He added: “Without sign of incoming government support, it instead comes down to us to make difficult decisions and take urgent action.

“This is vital if we are to balance our books and safeguard essential council services.  

“Should we agree to adopt the parking management strategy and — like neighbouring councils — choose to introduce charges in a small number of locations, we can have parking services that are better managed, maintained and self-funding.

“This allows us to deliver an improved parking service, whilst freeing up crucial funds that can go back into the council’s overall budget.”

It is estimated that the parking charges will bring in just over a million pounds a year for the local authority, but more than half of that will be spent on upkeep and paying back the borrowing costs of introducing the charges.

North Somerset Council’s executive will vote on progressing the plans at their meeting on October 17 at Weston-super-Mare Town Hall. If approved, the plans will still be required to go through another public consultation, set to last for three weeks.

A report on the plans set to go before the meeting stated that car parks had been divided into different categories to be priced differently.

It said: “Charges are lower in retail areas to support local businesses, whilst prime parking site charges reflect their locations in tourist and visitor areas.”

Mr Canniford added: “Though we have had to balance consultation feedback with new financial pressures, responses we received have helped shape hours of operation, pricing and some of the parking charge locations.

“Acting on the suggestion of town and parish councils, we have also set out possible options for entering into commercial leases, allowing other organisations to manage off-street car parks themselves.”

North Somerset Council owns 44 car parks across the district and currently charges in 17. The plans would see charges introduced in eight more.

Car parks near retail areas

These car parks are: Portishead’s Roath Road car park; Clevedon’s Marson Road, Great Western Road East, and Great Western Road West car parks; and Nailsea’s Station Road and Clevedon Road car parks.

The cost of parking would be:

1 hour £1.00

2 hours £1.50

3 hours £2.50

All-day £3.50

On-street retail areas

This is the Hill Road area in Clevedon, also covering Alexandra Road, Bellevue Road, and Gardens Road.

The cost of parking would be:

30 mins Free

1 hour £1.50

2 hours £2.50

3 hours £3.50

On-street “prime” locations

This would only apply to Elton Road and Old Church Road in Clevedon. There would be different “peak” and “off peak” prices which could be in place on some days.

The cost of parking would be:

Peak charges

1 hour £1.50

4 hours £5.50

All-day £9.00

Off-peak charges

1 hour £1.50

4 hours £3.00

All-day £5.00

Car parks in “prime” locations

This would apply to the car parks at the Lake Grounds in Portishead.

The cost of parking would be:

Peak charges

1 hour £1.50

4 hours £5.00

All-day £8.00

Off-peak charges

1 hour £1.50

4 hours £2.60

All-day £4.00

Staying free

Not all car parks will have parking charges introduced. The car parks which will stay free are Portishead’s Avon Way (West Hill), Kilkenny Fields (picnic grounds) and Nore Road cark parks; Clevedon’s Coleridge Vale and Layde Bay car parks; and Nailsea’s Clevedon Road car park.