Plans to introduce new evening and overnight charges at Somerset Council car parks have this week been dropped after hundreds of residents and businesses objected.
But the council still plans to introduce charges at car parks which are currently free, and to charge at all its car parks on Sundays.
At Monday’s executive meeting councillors agreed to provide free parking for up to 30 minutes in new on-street limited waiting bays – instead of 20 minutes as planned.
Burnham’s shop owners and Burnham Chamber of Trade have voiced concerns about the proposed charges adversely affecting trade in the town centre, as reported here.
The proposals will now go out to a public consultation before a final decision is taken.
Somerset Council is proposing the changes because it says different rates currently apply across its car parks. It says the aim of the proposal was to “bring consistency” to the county and ensure the service remained “completely self-funded”.
More than 2,200 people signed a petition, started by a businesswoman who said the proposals were being “rushed through under cover of financial emergency and budget setting” and had been subject to “inadequate debate and scrutiny”.
Members of the council’s scrutiny committee had also previously voted against the proposals saying they were “premature” and needed more work.
Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport, Councillor Richard Wilkins said: “We have listened to concerns raised at scrutiny, from the public and businesses. We want to give people the flexibility to park for a short time, while at the same time encouraging turnover of spaces for visitors. We also want to support businesses when it comes to the night-time economy and these amendments do that.”
“However, we have still inherited a parking estate with big differences across the county. We need to bring fairness and uniformity in parking practice across the county and in turn the extra income will help ensure the parking service is fully self-financed and can continue to be run, staffed and maintained properly.”
