A SCHEME offering free parking in the county in the run-up to Christmas has been scrapped as the council faces a financial emergency.

Somerset Council said it will not be able to afford the £50,000 needed to implement the initiative and said they are “reviewing all spending, including free Christmas parking to ensure we can continue to protect our core services and look after people in need”.

A spokesperson said: “Whilst we would like to be able to offer free parking in the county over the pre-Christmas period, given the current financial climate we are not able to do so this year - we anticipate this would cost about £50,000.

“Our executive recently declared a financial emergency in response to soaring costs and demands for services.

“This means we are reviewing all spending, including free Christmas parking to ensure we can continue to protect our core services and look after people in need.”

Bridgwater Chamber of Commerce manager Diogo Rodrigues said: “The decision by Somerset Council to abandon the longstanding tradition of free parking on Saturdays during the festive season is disheartening for our town centre businesses.

“This, coupled with the recent increase in parking charges, places our local businesses in an even more precarious position.”

Mr Rodrigues, who is also opposition leader member for transport and digital also said: “In my view, the council's decision not to implement the proposed parking scheme this year, citing a projected cost of approximately £50,000, appears short-sighted.

Cllr Mike Rigby lead member, for Transport and Digital at Somerset Council, said: “We’d love to have been able to continue the free Christmas parking offer, but the national state of local government finance does not allow us to do it.

“The botched Conservative Fair Cost of Care programme has added tens of millions of pounds to the council’s care budget with no additional money to fund it.”

Bridgwater Chamber of Commerce also called upon Bridgwater Town Council to consider adopting a supportive approach akin to Wellington Town Council by reinstating free parking on Saturdays in the run-up to Christmas in 2024.