LIFE is going to get easier for drivers using Taunton's car parks.

Electronic signs are being put up to inform motorists which car parks currently have spaces and which are full.

A Variable Message Signing board has already been unveiled on Priorswood Road as part of the £1.2 million scheme.

The system is also being linked to the town's two park and ride sites.

Taunton Deane Borough Council is also introducing pay as you leave machines in seven town centre car parks.

It means people will no longer have to rush back to their vehicle if their ticket is about to expire, as has been the case until now.

Pay on exit is being introduced in the following car parks - Orchard, High Street, Tangier, Canon Street, Wood Street, Castle Street and Enfield.

The changes, being introduced car park by car park to minimise disruption, are planned to be completed in August.

Council leader Cllr John Williams said: “We committed £1.2 million to implementing this initiative to make life a little easier for the motorist and to underline our commitment to Taunton Deane’s economy.

“The new electronic signs will help people find where space is available in some of our busiest car parks while pay on exit means they pay for the time they have parked, rather than pay for time they think they might need.

“This has long been an aspiration for the council and I am delighted to see it come to fruition.”

Cllr Roger Habgood, executive member for planning policy and transportation, added: “Taunton is growing and, as a garden town, we don’t want to see people having to drive around, wasting fuel, time and adding to pollution, in the search for a parking spot.”

Cllr Mark Edwards, executive member for business, said: “Our traders have been supportive of this new system as it will make life easier for visitors, shoppers and those who do business in Taunton.

"This will remove the stress of having to return to the car in their allocated time, and allow shoppers to enjoy their experience in Taunton.

“I am grateful for the support we have received from our local businesses and from the partners we have worked with throughout.”

Cllr John Woodman, cabinet member for highways at Somerset County Council, which has worked in partnership with the Deane, said: “This project has been an excellent example of collaborative working between two authorities and I’m pleased to see it going live.

"VMS signs are a welcome addition to the town and should help prevent wasted journeys by directly guiding drivers to available parking spaces.”

The first sign was unveiled in Priorswood Road, Taunton, on the inbound approach, and is one of nine to be provided in key locations, signposting drivers to the seven pay-on-exit car parks and the two park and ride sites.

Taunton Chamber of Commerce president Nigel Pearce said: "The improvements to the car parking in Taunton with the introduction of advance signage and pay on exit is to be welcomed, and will make the process of access much easier and allow more flexibility for visitors and shoppers.

"It has been something that the retailers in the town have been eagerly anticipating for some time, and will also be of particular importance during the proposed pedestrianisation trial."