Date published: 2026-10-06 | Category: Parking and Travel, Roads, travel and transport
Bath & North East Somerset Council is asking residents to share their views on a range of proposed parking charge changes.
These proposals are aimed at improving road safety, improving air quality, reducing congestion and supporting more walking, wheeling and cycling. Some of the proposed changes are designed to encourage visitors who travel into the city by car to consider more sustainable travel options and to help residents parking close to their homes.
The proposed changes include:
- changes to emissions-based parking charges for permits and pay and display parking
- on-street pay and display charge increases over a three-year period
- introducing pay and display parking at some currently unrestricted on-street locations close to Bath city centre
- extending the operating hours of Residents' Parking Zones and on-street pay and display parking in Bath to 10pm
- introducing seasonal parking charges in council car parks in Bath during Bath Christmas Market weekends (weekends only, would not impact 2026 Christmas Market)
- reserved parking space charge increases in residential off-street car parks
- introducing permits for reserved parking spaces at Church Road car park in Weston
- introducing charges for short-stay parking at Weymouth Street car park in Walcot
Councillor Joel Hirst, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport Strategy, said: “Residents tell us that they want cleaner, safer and more sustainable transport options. 63% of respondents to our Movement Strategy told us that these are priorities and they also supported safer school travel through projects like School Streets, improved coach travel and safer traffic speeds across the city.
“To support more sustainable travel options, we have to make the best use of the limited space we have on our streets, while ensuring that our parking policies and charges remain fair and effective for people who need to use a car.
“We want to know what residents think about the changes we are proposing and all the feedback we get will help inform any decisions we make."
The consultation is open now until 5pm, 3 November. To take part in the consultation and comment on the proposed changes, go to the council’s consultation page.
Feedback received will help inform the council's budget-setting process and decisions on whether to progress the proposals, which would come into effect in 2027/28. Where proposals are taken forward, further development and consultation would take place before any changes are implemented.
Feedback from previous consultations has led to the council withdrawing proposed changes, like its plans to extend parking charges at Bath Hill East car park in Keynsham to include Saturdays and plans to introduce emission-based parking charges for motorbikes.
How the council manages both on-street and off-street parking is a key factor in the recently adopted Movement Strategy for Bath & North East Somerset, which aims to provide more travel choices, reduce private vehicular traffic and create great quality places by improving public transport, walking, wheeling and cycling while ensuring the transport network continues to work for everyone.