CAR parking prices are to rise in Wellington - despite warnings it could lead to more people parking on the road or avoiding a town centre.

Somerset West and Taunton Council voted to increase parking charges by up to ten per cent as part of its ongoing work to tackle climate change.

The council’s executive believes the increase will raise an additional £500,000. But local ward members have warned the move will hurt businesses and lead to more parking on residential streets.

The issue was hotly debated by the full council when it convened in Taunton last Wednesday

Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for planning and transportation, said the money raised from additional charges would be spent on improving public transport and changing driver habits.

But Tim Potter, who runs an award-winning family butchers in Fore Street, Wellington, said: “I think it would be better they put prices down rather than up.

“Shops are already struggling to get customers into town. Putting prices up is not going to help, in fact quite the opposite.”

Somerset West and Taunton Council has three car parks in Wellington - South Street, North Street, and Longforth Road.

All of them are conveniently placed for the town centre.