Burnham traders in parking plea (From Burnham and Highbridge Weekly News)

Burnham traders in parking plea

8:00am Thursday 25th October 2012 in News By Matthew Colledge

TRADERS in Burnham have told a group which will recommend how to spend £320,000 on the town: “End our parking nightmare first.”

Burnham and Highbridge Town Council will give a recommendation within weeks on how the money from Tesco - connected to the expansion of its supermarket in Ben Travers Way - should be spent.

The council's town improvements committee is meeting today (Thursday) to discuss possible highways changes - including pedestrianising High Street and making Victoria Street completely one-way.

Parking is also on the agenda, with suggestions that some disabled and loading bays could be removed to ease the burden.

But traders say councillors should go even further.

Dennis Preedy, who has run DP Menswear in High Street for seven years, said: “£320,000 doesn't go far.

“They could spend the whole lot on paving, lighting and whatever, but free parking is the easiest way out of our problems and the key to it all.

“It would bring people into the town. We should have parking meters in the High Street and make all the car parks free.

“There shouldn't be any disabled bays apart from the side streets.”

Steve Thomas, who has run Thomas's Shoe Repairs in High Street for 23 years, said: “Parking is definitely an issue.

“Customers complain about the lack of parking spaces all the time.

“Wedmore has got free parking, Somerton has too. I think free parking is a good idea. The council won't like it because it will cost them money but even just getting a few extra parking spaces or offering cheaper parking would help.”

The Weekly News has heard several other suggestions this week about how the Tesco money should be spent.

Highbridge district councillor Joe Leach said improving the kerbs and road surface in High Street should be a priority, while Burnham town councillor Helen Groves said a business directory website for High Street would be a good idea.

The town council will give a recommendation by the end of the year to Sedgemoor District Council, which will have the final say on the money.