New Whitchurch car parking charges deadline

The suspension of controversial new car parking charges in Whitchurch will last for no more than three months, a leading councillor said today.

Martin Taylor-Smith, Shropshire Council portfolio holder for transport, said that off-street parking charges will come to Whitchurch by July at the latest.

The town won a temporary reprieve from the charges after town and unitary councillors lobbied Shirehall to get a new car park opened in Mill Street to boost capacity.

News that Whitchurch had escaped the charges, which were introduced in most places at the beginning of April, angered civic leaders in Wem and Market Drayton.

In Ellesmere, the charges have also been suspended, but only for one month while residents' parking schemes are set up.

Councillor Taylor-Smith said the charges would be introduced in Whitchurch inside three months even if the new car park civic leaders lobbied for was not ready.

He said: "With opening the new Mill Street car park we are talking a matter of months not years, but it's in the hands of officers.

"That's not really a matter for the portfolio holder, but as far as the suspension of charges in Whitchurch goes, we have said a maximum of three months."