A brand new half-hour car parking charge is to be introduced in Burnham-On-Sea from next week to make the town more friendly to shoppers – but there will also be various increases in charges at the same time.
A new 30p fee for 30 minutes’ parking is being introduced by Sedgemoor District Council from Tuesday (April 2nd) at car parks in Lynton Road, Oxford Street and Pier Street West.
Councillor Phil Harvey, pictured, who proposed the new rate last year, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The minimum car parking charge for shoppers has been one hour which is no good for many shoppers who just want to visit the town centre quickly to buy one or two items, so I welcome this change and hope it benefits shoppers and traders.”
A Burnham Chamber of Trade spokesman also welcomed the news, saying: “The new 30-minute fee is great news – it will make our town centre even more attractive for visitors.”
However, it’s not all good news, since the district council is hiking up hourly car parking charges at Lynton Road (right), Oxford Street, Pier Street and Berrow Road by 10p. Two hours parking will cost an extra 20p, four hours will go up by 10p, and full-day charges will rise by 30p.
Coach parking will remain free of charge in Burnham throughout the summer in a bid to encourage more coaches into the town, but boat trailer parking at the Pier Street car park will rise by 30p for a whole day.
Burnham Mayor Ken Smout told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “I very much welcome the new 30-minute fee, which I hope will encourage more visitors into the town centre. The small increases elsewhere are regrettable, but we are grateful that Sedgemoor has kept these to a minimum.”
Cllr Louise Parkin added: “They do seem to be sensible increases but I would not want to see our car park charges rise every year – we need to encourage shoppers and visitors into the town. I am especially pleased that the coach fees remain free, particularly given all the work that’s underway by the BIARS tourism manager to encourage coaches into the town.”
There are small rises in Highbridge too, where parking at the Bank Street car park will rise 10p to 60p for one hour, while two hours’ parking will increase by 20p to £1.20, four hours’ parking will be 30p dearer at £2.40 and all-day parking will be up 30p to £3.50.
Cllr Chris Williams, pictured above, said he would prefer the increases to be delayed, telling Burnham-On-Sea.com: “While these are not large increases, I would have preferred them to have been delayed until after the proposed building developments in the town have been completed when more vitality is brought to the town centre.”
