Sedgemoor District Council is to offer free parking in its Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge car parks on the three weekends leading up to Christmas on an annual basis, it has announced this week.
The leader of the council, Cllr Duncan McGinty, confirmed the news on Wednesday (October 9th) following calls from Burnham-On-Sea Chamber of Trade and the Town Council for the charges to be lifted to help traders over the festive period.
People will be able to park without charge in all eighteen of the Council-owned car parks across Sedgemoor for the three weekends before Christmas on an annual basis.
This year, the parking will be free on Saturday 7th, 14th and 21st December, as well as free parking from 4pm on the days of Christmas light switch-ons which take place in Burnham on November 23rd and November 16th in Highbridge.
Cllr Duncan McGinty said: “We are keen to support our many local and varied traders in the towns and villages across Sedgemoor and give residents and visitors an added incentive to shop locally during the festive season.”
Burnham-On-Sea Chamber of Trade added: “We thank the district council for making this decision, which will help to attract more shoppers into Burnham, stimulating trade at a crucial time of the year for many of town centre shops and small businesses. We encourage residents to come into Burnham this Christmas season and support our wonderful shops which sell a wide range of gifts, crafts, greeting cards and presents.”
Sam Winter, Burnham and Highbridge’s Town Council Clerk, added: “The Town Council is delighted that Sedgemoor District Council has agreed to permit free weekend parking in the run-up to Christmas 2019 and future years. The Town Council is pleased to have supported the successful application by the Burnham-On-Sea Chamber of Trade and looks forward to future collaborative working to support and benefit local businesses.”
Sedgemoor District Council owns and operates eighteen car parks across the district with a total of 1,691 parking spaces.
Sedgemoor relies on income from the car park to help pay for the cost of running the car parks such as business rates; CCTV; cleaning; looking after the shrubbery etc; repairs and maintenance to the tarmac; white-lining; maintenance/replacement of ticket machines; insurance and electricity costs for the lighting. It’s estimated that the loss of income would be approximately £4,600 per weekend. There will be notices on the tariff machines in the car parks advising of the free parking.
Car parks in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge
- High Street
- Oxford Street
- Pier Street East
- Pier Street South
- Pier Street West
- Discount car park
- Bank Street, Highbridge
