Parkers face charges after funding withdrawn

Free parking on a private car park in Ellesmere is to end after 22 years.

Shropshire Council has withdrawn funding which enabled people to park at Ellesmere Comrades Club free of charge.

Now motorists will face weekday charges of up to 50p a day, starting in the New Year.

But there will be a reprieve for patients using selected spaces to park when visiting the nearby medical centre after officials decided to keep 10 spaces free.

Lincoln McMullan, chairman of the Ellesmere Chamber of Trade, said: "It's a pity that we have to lose the free spaces but the parking facility will still be there.

"I can understand Shropshire Council pulling the funding away as they have to keep their costs down now.

"If this means we can keep our parking charges down on the main council car parks to 10p for two hours then hopefully the impact won't be too bad."

In 1989, a deal was reached between the former North Shropshire District Council and the club giving the public the right to use the car park for free between 9am and 3pm.

Last month Shropshire Council said it was no longer able to contribute to the cost of leasing the car park because of changes brought about by its new parking strategy, which has seen controversial charges rolled out in new locations across the county.

Club member Maxwell Bussey said in a statement: "Due to the generous responses from various organisations in the town, 10 spaces will be free of charge for surgery appointments only."

He added club members would be able to claim refunds on all the charges and a parking enforcement company would be monitoring the car park.

It will cost 20p for up to three hours' parking or 50p all day.