Free parking plan for Welshpool

Civic leaders today unveiled plans to introduce an hour's free parking in Welshpool. Welshpool Town Council said it hoped to introduce the scheme as soon as money became available.

Robert Robinson, town clerk, said: "I've already been in touch with the county council to ask them how much they would stand to lose if they let motorists park free for up to an hour in all Welshpool car parks.

"It's something that we as a council have been planning to do for a while and if the cost of it allows us it's something we'll try and introduce in the town.

"If they come back to me with a cost then it's a possibility that the town council would be able to compensate them for the shortfall.

"The main reason why we want to offer free car parking in the town is to help clamp down on illegal parkers.

"A lot of motorists come into town just to pop to the bank or to get milk, they don't want to pay for a ticket so they end up parking somewhere unsafe."

Mr Robinson added that more than 90 per cent of residents "who took part in the recent town centre plan survey also support this initiative".

A spokesman for Powys County Council said: "Income generated from car parks offset the costs of other services and is vital in ensuring that council tax increases are kept to a minimum.

"However, if Welshpool Town Council has any proposal to subsidise car parking within the town, we would be interested to talk to them."