Sunday parking fees on the way out
Sunday parking charges could be scrapped in six Shropshire towns from December, it was revealed today.
Shropshire Council is looking to axe Sunday charges in Market Drayton, Whitchurch, Ellesmere, Wem, Church Stretton and Much Wenlock. The council also wants to reduce Sunday parking prices by 50 per cent in Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Bridgnorth and Ludlow.
In Market Drayton, Ellesmere, Wem and Whitchurch it currently costs up to £1.80 to park on Sundays, with maximum charges of £3 in Much Wenlock and £3.60 in Church Stretton in place.
In Shrewsbury, it costs between £2.70 and £8 to park for up to 10 hours on a Sunday, up to £3 in Bridgnorth, between £2 and £4.80 in Ludlow and £6.50 for up to four hours in Oswestry's Festival Square.
The council has admitted the new strategy, which would also see free parking in every council-owned car park on bank and public holidays, will cost it more than £200,000 in lost income.
As part of the overhaul, a new pricing structure would also be introduced for parking on selected council car parks from Monday to Saturday, replacing the current system in places such as Oswestry, Ludlow, Bridgnorth, Market Drayton and Whitchurch where parking is free for the first hour, 10p for up to two hours and £1.80 for up to 10 hours.
The change would see up to two hours of parking costing 10p, four hours 50p, six hours £1 and a charge of £1.80 for up to 10 hours. Sunday on-street parking charges for Shrewsbury and Ludlow could also be brought in. If the overhaul goes ahead, new charges would apply from December 3.
The move is expected to result in a loss of income of £218,000, with £151,000 of this coming from the 50 per cent reduction in Sunday parking costs in Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Bridgnorth and Ludlow.
The council's enterprise and growth scrutiny committee is to discuss the proposals today, before the plans go in front of the council cabinet on October 17 for approval.
