Businessman challenges Clevedon parking charges in court
Local shop owner opposes council's decision on parking fees
A local businessman is taking North Somerset Council to court over the end of free parking in Clevedon’s town centre car parks.
The council introduced parking charges to the Marson Road and Great Western Road East and West car parks on June 1. Daniel Adams, who runs Stationary House on the Triangle, is self-funding a statutory review to challenge the decision.
Mr Adams said: “The challenge is not about whether parking charges are, in principle, a good or bad idea. The reason I have brought the challenge is because I believe it is important that local authorities follow a fair and lawful process when making decisions that affect residents, businesses and visitors.”
The council had also planned to bring in on-street parking charges in Hill Road and the surrounding area but backed down in April after Clevedon Town Council threatened legal action. North Somerset Council leader Mike Bell said that the two councils ending up in court would be “a scandalous waste of public money.”
But the council is planning to contest the legal challenge launched by Mr Adams and has told him it will seek to recover costs if it wins. A spokesperson for the council said: “We can confirm that a legal challenge has been brought in relation to the traffic regulation order for Clevedon car parks and that the challenge is due to be heard in court on 26 June. At that hearing, the court will consider evidence submitted by both parties and determine how the case should proceed. Following the court’s decision, the council will act in accordance with the outcome.”
Mr Adams said it was “astonishing” the council had already bought and installed ticket machines and begun charging before the statutory review had been decided. The council said the machines could be reused elsewhere if it lost the review.
The council cabinet voted in 2024 to introduce parking charges to Clevedon, Nailsea, and Portishead. The council says it is “about fairness,” as Weston-super-Mare already had parking charges, but councillors from the other three towns have warned that their situations are different. Since parking charges were introduced in Nailsea, local businesses say they have lost about a third of their footfall.
Mr Adams said: “The experience of Nailsea should serve as a warning. Evidence gathered from local businesses there points to reduced footfall, falling turnover and growing concerns about the future vitality of the town centre. At a time when high streets are already facing significant challenges, introducing parking charges without first allowing the legal process to conclude appears both reckless and economically short-sighted.”
It now costs £1 to park for an hour at the Marson Road and Great Western Road East and West car parks, rising to £1.50 for two hours, £2.50 for three hours, or — at the Great Western Road car parks — £3.50 for all day. Charges apply 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday.
The High Court will be sitting at Bristol Civil Justice Centre today to hear the review.