Ellesmere given one-month parking charges reprieve

A Shropshire town has been given a one-month reprieve from new car parking charges just a day after they were supposed to be rolled out to locations across the county.

Motorists in Ellesmere came prepared to pay to park on the town's main car park yesterday but were greeted instead by heavy duty plastic covers covering the new ticket machines.

Shropshire Council said it had given the town a one-month reprieve from the new fees, which start at 10p for up to two hours, to allow for residents' parking schemes to be implemented.

It comes days after it emerged that in Whitchurch the charges have also been suspended for an unspecified period until a new car park is built in Mill Street.

The news has angered civic leaders in Wem and Market Drayton, where no such allowances were made and the new charges of up to £1.80 a day were introduced.

Vandals in Wem have shown their anger by defacing a parking charges sign at Mill Street car park.

Martin Taylor-Smith, Sh- ropshire Council cabinet member for transport and IT, said: "We have agreed to suspend charges in Elles- mere for a month while we establish the parameters for residents' permit charges.

"It has been a difficult process in Ellesmere to identify and agree the streets which would qualify for a permit, so further work needs to be completed."

He added: "It was a more straightforward task to identify the streets in Wem and Market Drayton so the charges came in as planned on April 1. Work is progressing on residents' permits across these car parks, and will be introduced as soon as possible."

He said residents in Wem and Market Drayton could buy a month's season ticket for £27. Call 0345 678 9000.