Somerset Council has launched a six-week public consultation on proposals to introduce Sunday parking charges across its 200+ Council-run car parks. The consultation runs from Monday 8 September until Sunday 20 October, and local businesses and residents are being urged to share their views before any final decisions are made.

The proposals mark the beginning of a wider process to bring consistency to parking charges across the county, which have not been reviewed since Somerset Council was formed in 2023. At present, different charging approaches exist depending on location, with Sunday charges already in place in towns such as Watchet, Minehead, Wells, Glastonbury, Cheddar, Street, Frome, Shepton Mallet, Williton and Burnham-on-Sea, while car parks in Taunton, Wellington, Bridgwater, Chard, Crewkerne, Yeovil and Highbridge currently remain free on Sundays.

The aim of the new proposals is to create a fair and consistent approach across Somerset, while ensuring the parking service remains entirely self-funded. This includes covering the costs of staffing, enforcement, and the ongoing maintenance of car parks to a high standard.

I would encourage everyone to have their say – this is a really important consultation and we will be considering everyone’s views before final decisions are taken.

We have many car parks in Somerset and there are significant costs and challenges involved in running and maintaining them.

The proposal is about ensuring more consistency and fairness in charges 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.

Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Waste, Councillor Richard Wilkins

The consultation is also part of a wider review that will include future engagement around potential on-street charging and charges in currently free car parks, developed with local members, town and parish councils, and further public input.

Next steps

The results of this consultation will be reviewed by Somerset Council’s Climate and Place Scrutiny Committee before being considered by the Executive on 3 December. If approved, any changes would not take effect until 2026.

How to take part

Businesses and residents are encouraged to respond to the consultation before 20 October 2025. Full details and the survey can be found below: