Mendip Liberal Democrats are worried that the Conservative administration at Mendip are proposing to increase parking charges across the district just before Christmas.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat group, Cllr Claire Hudson (Frome Park) said:

‘The Lib Dems have campaigned for lower and fairer parking charges in Mendip’s car parks for the last five years; it was a key campaign pledge in both the 2007 and 2011 elections. We feel the current system isn’t fair and that there should actually be more free parking in our towns.

‘At next Monday’s meeting, we will be urging the Cabinet not to even consider increasing charges at such a sensitive economic time.  We feel the damage it will do to town centre businesses in Frome, Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet, Street and Wells, as well as to the tourist trade is just not worth the extra income to the council.’

Cllr Danny Unwin (Wells St Thomas), deputy Leader of the Lib Dem group and currently Mayor of Wells said:

‘Increasing parking charges is likely to have a fundamental impact on tourism in our key tourism town.  Wells relies to a great extent on people visiting the city and I am very concerned that increases will deter visitors.

‘The Lib Dems realise in difficult times that the council needs to look at where it gets its income from, but increasing car parking is not the answer.

‘We urge anyone likely to be affected by increases to come along to Mendip’s Cabinet meeting and have their say.’