Saturday charges bid at Keynsham car park dropped

PLANS to introduce Saturday charges at Bath Hill East car park in Keynsham have been dropped.

The proposal was included in a raft of changes to parking charges and permits proposed by Bath & North Somerset Council for 2026-27.

The council defended its proposal for Bath Hill East by stating that Saturday charges already apply at other council-owned car parks, including those in Keynsham, Midsomer Norton and Radstock, and that all these car parks remain free to use on Sundays.

A public consultation on the proposals closed in November.

But a meeting of Keynsham Town Council has been told that the charges at Bath Hill East will not now go ahead.

Andy Wait (Lib Dem) said the town council, which he chairs, had not been officially approached about the proposed charges and the only reason he knew about them was because he is also a B&NES councillor.

He wrote to Cllr Joel Hirst, cabinet member for sustainable transport strategy, expressing his concerns at the poor consultation process, the short period of consultation and stressing the importance of free Saturday parking at Bath Hill East for the town.

Cllr Wait then contacted Cllr Kevin Guy, leader of B&NES Council, stating that he thought the introduction of Saturday charges at Bath Hill East would not generate much money anyway, as people would park elsewhere, including on residential roads, and he added a reminder about the amount of housing that Keynsham has taken over past years.

Cllr Guy responded that he had withdrawn the option for Bath Hill East from the parking proposals and that no Saturday charges would be brought in until at least after the next election in 2027.

The news came shortly after Keynsham Labour councillors had released a statement calling for the Bath Hill East proposals to be withdrawn, saying that they would harm the town centre, local businesses, and community life.

They said: “Keynsham has invested time and effort in rebuilding its town centre as a place to shop, meet, and relax. Labour believes that charging for Saturday parking at Bath Hill would undermine that progress and send the wrong signal about the council’s priorities.”

Cllr Dave Biddleston, a Labour town councillor and a B&NES Labour for Keynsham South, thanked Cllr Wait for his efforts in getting the proposals withdrawn.

Charges at Bath Hill East car park currently apply Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm.