STRICT parking restrictions could be imposed in central Wedmore unless regular parkers start using the new village car park. Parking limits could be introduced on roads like The Borough and Church Street to free up space for visitors and shoppers, the par

STRICT parking restrictions could be imposed in central Wedmore unless regular parkers start using the new village car park.Parking limits could be introduced on roads like The Borough and Church Street to free up space for visitors and shoppers, the parish council chairman has warned.Wedmore Parish Council hoped shopkeepers, staff and residents would use the new car park off Cheddar Road once it was opened. But space on The Borough remains scarce and some retailers still do not know the new free car park is open.The £200,000 car park has got off to a rocky start since opening in early April. Nearby residents have complained about the brightness of overhead lighting, loss of privacy and flooding concerns, while councillors have been disappointed with the small numbers using it.The council agreed to turn off the lighting at night and review the policy at a later date.They hope that more will start using it when free parking signs go up in May.Parish chairman Mike Bethel said: "If people don't use the car park we are going to give them the benefit of the doubt for a couple of months and then if they are still not using it we will be taking other steps."We haven't decided yet what these might be. It could be restricted parking, something like that, so if people are in work they won't be able to move their cars in working hours and will have to park somewhere else."Claire Prior, who walks to her ladies fashion shop Pebble & Stone in The Borough, said: "I haven't noticed any difference with parking levels on the street. Hopefully it will improve when the signs go up.