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The car parking service aims to:
- provide safe and clean car parks and promote a positive image
- encourage short-term shopper and business parking for the benefit of the local economy
- provide a reasonable return on the Council’s investment in car parks for the benefit of the Council taxpayer.
Visit our Car Parks Directory to search car parks by location and to find more information about each individual car park.
The Council reviews charges annually.
Please see our Car park season tickets page for information on
- residential parking
- business parking
- permits
- season tickets
Parking ticket machines
All parking ticket machines are emptied daily and regularly serviced.
Machines in our pay and display car parks will accept overpayment but will not give change. Please be aware that some parking ticket machines do not take bank notes or credit cards and you will need to have change. Issued tickets cannot be swapped between vehicles or car parks.
If you buy a ticket that expires after 6pm it will automatically be carried on the following day.
Your pay and display ticket must be clearly displayed in the front windscreen of your vehicle.
Report a machine fault
Car park charges
Taunton Deane area car parks charges apply from 8am to 6pm Monday to Saturday.
West Somerset area car parks charges apply from 9am to 6pm daily including Bank Holidays.
For information on individual car parks, visit our Car Parks Directory.
PayByPhone
The PayByPhone service operates across all our pay and display car parks, except Dulverton.
It is easy to use and signs in car parks give clear information on how to use it.
Register with PayByPhone
Register on the PayByPhone website and provide vehicle and payment details or to book parking:
- phone 01823 220185
- download the smartphone app (search PayByPhone Parking)
You will need to quote the location code and the length of stay before confirming the booking. Once booked drivers can extend their parking time without having to return to their vehicles.
iPhone and android phone users
iPhone and android phone users can download a free Pay by Phone app. iPhone users can also download the app from the Apple iTunes store. You can register, find your nearest PayByPhone car park, manage your account pay to park directly through the app.
If you need any help, contact Pay by Phone at 0330 400 7275 or see support at PayByPhone.
Terms and conditions of parking
- Payment must be made at the time of parking.
- Enforcement action may be taken if you have not paid for parking or the time you have paid for has expired.
- You are responsible for entering the correct vehicle and location information when you park.
- Normal parking regulations apply.
- Parking suspensions may be in force in PayByPhone locations at any time – always check for signs and find an alternative parking space where necessary.
- Somerset Council is not responsible for mobile network coverage or network failure. It is your responsibility to make sure that your parking payment covers the entire duration that your vehicle is parked.
- Reliance on SMS reminder texts does not provide an exemption to this rule.
Off Street Parking Orders
More information
Drivers with a disability
With the display of a valid Blue Badge showing the time of arrival and appropriate payment made, an allowance of an additional 1 hour time is granted free of charge in all pay and display car parks only.
In the Mendip and Sedgemoor area parking is free when a valid Blue Badge is displayed.
Overnight parking
You can park overnight but you will need to check the terms of the car park you intend to park and ensure, if required, that you have paid for a parking session which will cover the start of enforcement the following day.
Off street parking
Somerset Council operates a number of pay and display car parks throughout the county. Please note, caravans and lorries over 7.5 tonnes may not use car parks provided by the Council. Customers have the option to pay parking charges by using the cashless parking system.
There are no additional charges for using this service, customers only pay the parking charge.
On-street parking
Somerset Council manages parking on the streets throughout the county and enforces on-street parking regulations.
Parking enforcement
We enforce parking regulations in car parks. We do this through our service provider NSL Ltd who will issue penalty charge notices to motorists who break parking rules. You can find out more on our Parking fines – Penalty Charge Notices page.
Temporary parking and access needs
We can arrange temporary parking and access to car parks near specific properties. For example, builders wanting to place skips, or requests for no parking in a particular area to create access to yards/gardens backing onto Council owned car parks. Please contact us for further information or to make a request.
Snow and Ice in car parks
We do not carry out precautionary gritting of council-owned car parks but will take reasonable action to ensure they are safe to use, depending on the resources available. Priority will be given to the car park entrances and access routes used by a high number of pedestrians. Depending on the extent and severity of the weather event, some low-priority car parks may not be cleared for several days. Clearance of any car park will not start until the adjoining highway is clear to allow vehicular access.
Drivers are responsible for the safe movement of their vehicles and should drive with care when using the car parks during icy or snowy conditions. Pedestrians and drivers need to make their own assessment as to whether a car park is safe to use.
Enquiries
For enquiries relating to on-street parking, Penalty Charge Notices and parking enforcement contact:
Somerset Parking Partnership,
Somerset Council,
County Hall,
Taunton,
Somerset,
TA1 4DY
Email parking@somerset.gov.uk
Phone 0300 123 2224