Town council bids to take over running of Ludlow car parks
The ownership of public car parks in Ludlow could change hands as the town council makes a bid to take them on.
Ludlow Town Council said that, as funds coming into the council dwindle after years of cuts, taking on the town's pay and display car parks will help it raise much-needed revenue.
Ludlow has three Shropshire Council-run car parks in the town centre, plus a park and ride car park on the outskirts. The town council has resolved to write to the county authority to see if a deal can be struck to transfer the car parks to its control.
Ludlow's council-run car parks are in Castle Street, off the town's main square, in Upper Galdeford, and in Smithfield, off Lower Galdeford. The park and ride is at the Eco Park off the A49 bypass.
The move would mean the town council would be able to spend money raised on further facilities for the town, such as bus shelters and retain some money to give to community causes.
Vivienne Parry, Shropshire councillor for Ludlow South, who sits on the town council services committee, said: "We have resolved to send a letter to Shropshire Council. We have discussed the idea before but we have never put it in writing.
"As we understand it the car parks make £640,000 a year but only cost £200,000 to run. We could do such a lot with that money.
"We have talked about a hub for buses. There are no toilets at the park and ride and it's not very nice for people to come a long way to visit Ludlow and find nothing there.
"There are also no toilets at the car park by the Co-op store at Upper Galdeford anymore – but we have no money to do anything like that at the moment. The main thing is we would like to still have some money left to do things to help people in the town, such as Ludlow Assembly Rooms."
She said it was possible the town council would also take on the running of play parks as Shropshire Council looked to offload them. They may come as part of any deal to hand over the car parks.
