SHOPPERS at the Morrisons store in Taunton have been assured that months of confusion over the car park will soon end.

Customers parking outside the Dellers Wharf supermarket have been unsure whether they have to pay £1 to park up - or if they will be fined if they don't.

But the firm has confirmed that motorists no longer have to buy a ticket and are entitled to stay for up to two hours for free.

It has installed a camera to film vehicles arriving and will only issue penalties if motorists outstay the time limit.

They previously had to pay £1, which they could reclaim if they shopped in Morrisons, and a parking attendant issued penalty notices for anyone staying over the allotted time.

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But problems started earlier this year when a number of ticket-issuing machines failed to work and in recent weeks all of them have been covered by plastic hoods, with no notices informing drivers of whether or not they have to pay.

Regular shopper Hannah Crocker said: "There's nothing telling you what the situation is.

"A number of people have said they reckon you get fined if you stay for more than two hours, but it's all a bit confusing."

Chris Rolston said: "I don't know why they've stopped charging and there are no notices.

"I guess it's something to do with cameras going in, but nobody's said anything."

John Verrier said: "It was a problem before with people not shopping there parking for a couple of hours for £1, which is the cheapest rate in town.

"Now there will be even more people who aren't customers parking there because it will be free. It doesn't seem to make sense to me."

A Morrisons spokeswoman said: “Customers told us they were having difficulty finding a space at busy times so we'll be introducing a new camera-based car park management system in the next few weeks.

"Drivers can then park, free of charge, for up to two hours and should look out for the new signage which will explain the change.”

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