A Burnham-On-Sea man has criticised Sedgemoor District Council for its plans to “resurface a perfectly fit-for-purpose car park at the same time that there are pot holes in the roads just metres away.”
The plans to resurface Burnham-On-Sea’s Oxford Street car park next week have been announced by the district council.
But resident and business owner Nick Hebborn told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Photos of the car park taken this week show the condition of the car park, including recent repairs in two places. There are no pot holes or tripping hazards and the surface is fully fit-for-purpose. Compare this with the two street photos within 100m of the car park!”
He adds: “The council says they are in financial difficulties and need to support people in dire financially straights, but that does not sit with spending money on resurfacing because car parks make money and they have budget provision agreed before the current crisis.”
He thinks the project should be cancelled and the capitalised funds released instead to those in need, or sponsoring free 2-hour parking in the town centre
Burnham Chamber of Trade has also written to Sedgemoor District Council encouraging it to reschedule the work.
“Businesses in our town centre are already concerned about a potential loss of trade due to the removal of approximately 30 free parking spaces along the High Street. Now, to lose a further 103 parking spaces in Oxford Street for a whole week, at a time when we need to encourage shoppers into our town centre, is unacceptable.”
The resurfacing was originally scheduled for April but the authority says the works were delayed slightly due to Covid-19. The council says the works are part of the council’s ongoing commitment to maintain repair and invest in its public car parks.
SDC said residents’ season tickets for Oxford Street car park would be valid in other car parks for the duration of the work and that signs will be put in the car park before the start of the works to let visitors and residents know of the closure.
Sedgemoor District Council has been invited to comment.
