Posted: 19 February 2026 | Gabriel Higgins | No comments yet

Bristol Airport, North Somerset Council and Avon and Somerset Police have agreed a joint Parking Action Plan to address illegal offsite operators and nuisance parking.

Credit: Bristol Airport

Bristol Airport (BRS) has agreed a joint Parking Action Plan with North Somerset Council and Avon and Somerset Police to address illegal offsite parking operators, rogue meet and greet firms and nuisance street parking affecting nearby communities.

Throughout 2025, the airport, local authority, police and parish councillors have coordinated efforts to identify concerns, share intelligence and determine enforcement priorities. Avon and Somerset Police, which has a base at Bristol Airport, has worked alongside planning and highways teams to respond to community complaints and anti social behaviour linked to unauthorised parking activity.

In January 2026, the airport hosted a dedicated parking surgery attended by councillors from Winford, Backwell, Wrington and Cleeve, alongside ward councillors Cllr Annemieke Waite, Cllr Bridget Petty and Cllr Thomas Daw. Representatives from North Somerset Council’s highways and planning enforcement teams and local police officers also participated.

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Forty actions were agreed with defined responsibilities and timeframes for Bristol Airport, North Somerset Council and Avon and Somerset Police. Key measures include a proposal to double airport funding to support the council’s planning enforcement team and additional joint days of action targeting rogue meet and greet operators.

New signage has been installed prohibiting stopping or waiting in the lane off the airport roundabout. Parking restrictions have also been introduced at the Bridle Cottage layby on the A38 near the Fox and Goose, limiting waiting to a maximum of two hours. Local taxi firms have been reminded to use the designated Waiting Zone, which offers the first hour free, to discourage parking outside residential properties.

Bristol Airport will expand capacity within its one hour free waiting zone and improve associated signage. The airport has also renewed its contract to continue community litter picks in surrounding areas, supported by staff volunteers.

Rob Henley, Transport Planning Manager at Bristol Airport, said tackling parking issues requires a coordinated approach with enforcement partners. He encouraged passengers to consider public transport options, including the A1 service between the airport and Bristol, the A3 route linking Weston super Mare and the A4 bus connecting Bath via Saltford, Keynsham and Hengrove. He urged drivers and taxi operators to use the free waiting area rather than residential streets.

North Somerset Council’s planning enforcement team conducted more than 1,000 monitoring visits during 2025 and issued 24 enforcement notices against sites operating offsite car parks without planning permission. Some unauthorised operators were found to be parking over 1,000 vehicles in fields during peak summer periods.

Cllr Annemieke Waite, Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment at North Somerset Council, advised travellers to check parking providers are reputable, look for accreditation, review terms and conditions and avoid companies operating solely via mobile numbers.

Inspector Christian Gresswell of Avon and Somerset Police stated the force will continue to work with partners to address criminality linked to unaccredited operators and urged residents to report nuisance parking.

The British Parking Association has supported the initiative through participation in the Bristol Airport Transport Forum, contributing expertise on airport parking challenges nationwide.

A Parking Reporting Guide has been published on the airport’s community webpages to clarify organisational responsibilities.

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Airport leadership, Airside operations, Operational efficiency, Parking, Passenger experience and seamless travel, Regulation and Legislation, Risk Management Solutions, Security, Social responsibility

Bristol Airport (BRS)

Avon and Somerset Police, British Parking Association, North Somerset Council

United Kingdom and Ireland

Anne Bevis, Cllr Annemieke Waite, Cllr Bridget Petty, Cllr Thomas Daw, Inspector Christian Gresswell, Rob Henley