I AM totally opposed to the introduction of car parking charges in Nailsea. The town is focused around its core with service provision and businesses at the heart. A growing number of local residents, particularly

I AM totally opposed to the introduction of car parking charges in Nailsea.

The town is focused around its core with service provision and businesses at the heart.

A growing number of local residents, particularly the elderly or those with young children, have to drive into the centre of the town to attend the medical centres, the post office or visit local traders.

Local businesses are struggling for custom and the introduction of charges at Nailsea car parks will be disastrous for local traders. Increasing numbers of people will park at Tesco's and do all their shopping there. In the end we will end up with a centre full of even more charity shops and closed businesses.

This is a wake up call that the town centre is in decline and that the current North Somerset Council administration will be responsible for hammering the last nail into the coffin.

At the moment Nailsea town centre still attracts the local community to the retail and business centre, you can park for free for a couple of hours to enjoy the shopping and have time to have a coffee or eat some lunch.

If car park charges are introduced then it will drive even more shoppers and diners away to other retail alternatives like the Mall at Cribbs Causeway which offer an abundance of free parking.

Another consequence of car parking charges will be the clogging up of roads close to the shopping area of the town as increasing numbers of people park in all the side streets and then walk to the centre.

This congestion will raise tempers as people find themselves unable to park outside their own homes.

The introduction of car parking charges from April in Nailsea is a stealth tax by this administration and I for one will be voting against the proposal.

DISTRICT COUNCILLOR ANDY COLE - Nailsea East