A COMMUNITY protest against Somerset Council’s proposed new £1,000-plus annual parking charge is being organised in Wiveliscombe on Saturday (March 1).

The demonstration will be held in the town’s Croft Way car park, which is currently free of charge but will see fees imposed later this year if the council has its way.

Somerset Cllrs Cllr Dave Mansell and Cllr Gwil Wren, who represent Wiveliscombe and Milverton, said residents in both communities faced having to pay £1,095 to park all year round.

The council wants to introduce new charges in free car parks across the county with daily fees of £2 and £1 for evening and overnight parking from 6 pm to 8 am.

Organisers of Saturday’s anti-parking fees demonstration are inviting local people to turn out in force with placards and banners to encircle the Croft Way car park and ‘send a strong message that there should be no charging in Wiveliscombe and Milverton’s free car parks’.

Cllr Mansell said: “It is feared that many people will avoid the charges by parking in local streets, adding to problems with access being blocked and others then being unable to park near their homes.

“Local shopkeepers are concerned that shoppers will abandon Wiveliscombe and go to out-of-town supermarkets instead.”

The unitary council, which has been trying to avoid bankruptcy since declaring a financial emergency in November, 2023, is due to be asked to approve the new car parking charges at its 2025-26 budget setting meeting in Bridgwater on Wednesday (March 5).

Councillors sitting on a scrutiny committee on Monday (February 24) rejected the charges and said public consultation was needed first and actions should be taken to reduce their impact.

However, Cllr Mansell said income from the new charges was already included in the Liberal Democrat-run council’s draft budget for 2025-26.