North Somerset Council are launching a pilot Residents’ Parking Scheme in part of Weston-super-Mare in the coming months. 

The scheme would give priority to permit holders during hours of operation and has been designed to help residents, commuters and other vehicles share parking spaces more fairly. 

Resident-only parking bays would be in operation from 8am to 7pm from Monday to Saturday, including bank holidays (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day). Vehicles without a permit would be able to use the spaces outside of these hours. 

Permit holders would be able to add visitor hours to their permits and an additional permit specifically for businesses would allow businesses to apply for five spaces that could be used by any vehicle.  

It is also hoped that the pilot scheme can help manage traffic and congestion, making the roads safer and improving air quality. 

The pilot is subject to a Traffic Regulation Order which gives people an opportunity to comment on the details of the proposals. The Traffic Regulation Order consultation will run from now until 5pm on Friday 21 February. 

Our Resident Parking Scheme pilot will help vehicles share available spaces on fifteen particularly busy streets in Weston-super-Mare. This is important in ensuring local people can park near their homes, whilst balancing this need with requirements of local businesses and their staff who need to park close to work.

The pilot has been designed with the help of consultation feedback and a number of changes and adaptations have been made a result of past public engagement. There is now a final opportunity to comment on proposals through the Traffic Regulation Order process, which has now launched.
 
We want to be sure that the new scheme is having a positive impact and will review whether it is working as planned after 12 months of its implementation.

Councillor Mark Canniford, Executive Member for Placemaking and Economy at North Somerset Council

Roads can get particularly busy close to the centre of Weston-super-Mare, with vehicles parked nose to tail and people often driving around looking for a space.

This is something I have been campaigning to tackle for many years and it’s great that we’re able to unveil these proposals for a Resident Parking Scheme and help try to alleviate the issues for residents. It won’t be perfect or work for everyone, but it is important that we test this approach before considering rollout in other areas similarly affected by parking pressures.

Councillor Mike Bell, Leader of the Council and ward councillor for Weston Central

Notices to advertise the Traffic Regulation Order needed to introduce the scheme will be placed at locations around impacted street and, if successful, the pilot will begin in the Spring/Summer. It will be possible to apply for permits from the North Somerset Council website at that time. 

You can find a full list of impacted streets, detailed terms and conditions and read more about the scheme at n-somerset.gov.uk/WestonRPS.

Press release by North Somerset Council.