North Somerset Council is stepping up its enforcement activity to tackle illegal and inconsiderate parking across the district.

In addition to clamping down on people parking on double yellow lines, the council is reinforcing its message the seafront and beach at Weston are closed to vehicles and is directing people to car parks away from the seafront.

Despite the council continuing to tell would-be visitors and day-trippers to ‘please don’t come to North Somerset’, high numbers have continued to visit the area regardless, during the past week, particularly last Wednesday, and during the bank holiday weekend, causing traffic disruption and inconvenience to residents.

As a result of this, the council is now taking further steps to stop people from parking where they should not, to make sure they can park safely and reduce pressure on residential streets.

“We need to clamp down on those visitors who, despite our requests to stay away, are coming here and ignoring the rules,” said Cllr Mark Canniford, the council’s executive member responsible for parking.

“Due to the selfish and inconsiderate parking we have witnessed over the past few days, we are stepping up enforcement and taking other measures to try to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

With beach and Marine Parade car parks closed to deter visitors to Weston bay, new temporary signs have been put up from junction 21 of the M5 directing visitors to Locking Road car park instead.

The council has also re-opened level one of the Sovereign Centre car park on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 8am to 9pm.

In Portishead, it has also re-opened Kilkenny Fields for car parking.

The council hopes this will relieve the strain around the Lake Grounds, particularly as The Esplanade has been closed to cars to allow for social distancing of walkers and cyclists.

Parking along The Beach on Clevedon seafront is also no longer available to help maintain social distancing.

Earlier this month, the council urged motorists to make sure there is enough room for emergency service and recycling vehicles to get through when they park after 5,5000 recycling and waste collections were missed or late due to blocked streets.