Protest march plan over Whitchurch parking charges

A protest march could be held against controversial plans to introduce car parking charges in Whitchurch.

Councillor Ruth Leach is one of many people angered at the proposed implementation of off-street parking charges that she is urging residents to be prepared to take part in a protest march through the town to make their voices heard on the matter.

Councillor Leach said that a residents' protest was successful in preventing the closure of the town's community hospital a few years showing how effective a protest by residents can be.

• Comment - What Shropshire councillors giveth, they also taketh away

The charges are among proposals set out in a draft parking strategy, produced by Shropshire Council.

Whitchurch is in the second highest priority group for the implementation of charges, along with Oswestry, Market Drayton, Ludlow and Bridgnorth.

She said: "When Whitchurch Community Hospital was under threat in the past we held a march and then plans to get rid of it were scrapped."

But Linda Bate, chairwoman of Whitchurch Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said: "Parking charges will have an effect on people and businesses, but it is a done deal and the Shropshire Council need to get the money from somewhere. Therefore I cannot see a protest march being every effective."

Councillor Leach's claims follow a meeting last Wednesday when about 50 residents and councillors turned out to voice their opposition to the scheme.

Shropshire Council's cabinet member for strategic planning and transport, Councillor Martin Taylor- Smith, warned people at the meeting that not implementing car parking charges was not an option.

One of the findings in the Whitchurch Parish Plan was that 94 per cent of those who responded to the questionnaire wanted free town centre parking, while 87 per cent wanted more all-day parking.