More parking?

COMMUTERS travelling by train from Nailsea and Backwell station may find their journey easier if plans to extend the car park get on track.North Somerset Council is working with Nailsea Town Council and Backwell Parish Council to look at ways to expand the amount of spaces currently on offer at the station car park.Calls to increase the size of the car park have been mounting after charging commuters for leaving their cars at Yatton station was introduced.It is believed people are driving to Nailsea and Backwell and leaving their cars to get on the train to avoid the daily fees.People have also been leaving their cars at Backwell Lake car park - a popular beauty spot - which has prompted concerns from nature lovers about the affects on the local wildlife.Now two ideas are being put forward to expand the car park and two pockets of land near the station - both of which are privately owned - being considered as sites for extra parking.One of the sites is at Moor Lane and has been earmarked in the local plan for employment use.Backwell councillor Tom Collinson said: "We are asking North Somerset Council to establish the exact ownership and the availability of a piece of land for supplementary parking near the station."The station car park is chock-a-block and another problem is that people are leaving their cars on residential streets all day while they catch the train to work."There is a need, especially under current transport policies, to do our level best to find more parking for people using the train."Local councillors have been actively pursuing options to provide extra parking in this area."North Somerset Council spokesman Nick Yates said: "There is land next to the car park safeguarded in the local plan. This land is not owned by the council. Alternative proposals have been suggested but these have not been examined in detail.