The 2011 Census identified a population of 4,785 people living in 2,095 households in the parish, with over 3,026 or 1.44 cars per household, the majority kept in private driveways.
Commercial vehicles kept in the parish do not appear to be shown in the census data.
Designated car parks are at the railway station (267 spaces, pay-and-display) , the Community Club (73 p-a-d), Bell Mead (24 Free) and Market Place (20 Free). In total these provide 384 spaces. The station represents the great majority of the availability. Shopper’s car parking behind the Co-Op and Budgens supermarkets provides 24 spaces, free to use but time-limited. Six locations totalling 67 spaces are controlled by resident permits Mon-Sat 9am-6pm.
Along the High Street there are about 30 designated spaces within 1-hour limits. The rest of the High Street is no-parking from 9am to 6pm. The situation in The Limes is unclear. Signage shows both sides as ‘private’ , but both sides are usually congested with vehicles and spaces turn over frequently. A number of residential roads have 1-hour restrictions at various times during the day, to deter all-day parking by commuters and others.
Around 170 spaces for the use of businesses were identified. This excluded supermarkets, schools and halls but included pubs and restaurants in the village centre.
