'There are good reasons for the changes' - council confirms fresh parking charge rises

Earlier this week Shropshire Council's cabinet formally agreed to introduce the controversial changes - nearly 12 months after it first revealed the plan.

The proposals have met with significant opposition, with a number of changes being made after they were first examined by a scrutiny committee, then were subject to a public consultation.

The council did agree to pull back from some of the increases, but rejected overall concerns about the plans - specifically from Shrewsbury BID, which represents the town's businesses.

The date for the introduction of the changes has not yet been confirmed, although the council says they will start in early 2025.

Dan Morris, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for parking, has defended the decision - saying part of the plan is to stop people driving into the centre of towns, such as Shrewsbury.

He said: “We know that not everyone will welcome an increase in parking charges but there are good reasons for the changes.

“The new charges will ensure that sufficient parking spaces are available to visitors who most need to use them at all times of the week, by discouraging drivers of vehicles from unnecessarily entering congested parts of towns throughout the county – for example, the Shrewsbury river loop.

“The changes are also intended to encourage use of more distant, quieter car parks, or preferably alternative modes of transport such as buses, park and ride or active modes such as cycling and walking.

“And it’s important to say that we have listened to people’s views. Some of our original proposals were changed earlier this year following feedback from the scrutiny committee, and from Shrewsbury BID, and we have now carefully considered the feedback from the recent consultation and have agreed to make one further change.”

The changes are as follows

Shrewsbury - per hour

On-street - £2.80 to £3.60

Quarry Swimming & Fitness Centre - £2 to £2.80

Bridge Street - £2 to £2.80

St Austin’s Street - £2 to £2.80

Raven Meadows - £2 to £2.40  

St Julian’s Friars - £1.20 to £1.60

Frankwell Main - 80p to £1.20

Frankwell Riverside - 80p to £1.20

Frankwell Quay - 80p to £1.20

Abbey Foregate - 60p to 80p

A charge of £1 introduced between 6pm and 10pm at Bridge Street, Frankwell (all three), Quarry, St Austins Street, and on-street.

Maximum fee limits scrapped

 Sundays - Abbey Foregate, Frankwell (all three), Raven Meadows will have a maximum charge of one weekday hour, for the entire day.

Other market towns - per hour

Ludlow on-street (red) - £2 to £2.20 

Castle Street, Ludlow - £1.20 to £1.40

Listley Street North and South, Bridgnorth - £1.20 to £1.40

Sainsbury’s, Bridgnorth - £1.20 to  £1.40

Festival Square, Oswestry - £1.20 to £1.40

Ellesmere on-street - £1.20 to £1.40

Riverside, Bridgnorth - 80p to £1.00

Ludlow on-street (blue) - 80p to £1

Back Lane, Much Wenlock - 80p to £1

Galdeford Zone A, Ludlow - 60p to 80p

Frogmore Road, Market Drayton - 60p to 80p

Easthope Road, Church Stretton - 60p to 80p

Queen Street, Market Drayton - 60p to 80p

St Mary’s Lane, Much Wenlock - 60p to 80p

Pepper Street, Whitchurch - 60p to 80p

Castle Hill, Whitchurch - 60p to 80p

Innage Lane, Bridgnorth - 40p to 60p

Severn Street, Bridgnorth - 40p to 60p

Oswald Road, Oswestry - 40p - 60p

Galdeford Zone B, Ludlow - 40p to 60p

Towers Lawn 1 & 2, Market Drayton - 40p to 60p

Smithfield, Ludlow - 40p to 60p

Oak Street, Oswestry - 40p to 60p

Newtown, Whitchurch - 40p to 60p

St John’s Street, Whitchurch - 40p to 60p

Brownlow Street, Whitchurch - 40p to 60p

New Road, Much Wenlock - 40p to 60p

Falcons Court, Much Wenlock - 40p to 60p

Talbot Street; Cross Street; Spar Bridge, Ellesmere - 40p to 60p

High Street, Wem - 40p to 60p

Mill Street, Wem - 40p to 60p

Leek Street, Wem - 40p to 60p

Prees Heath HGV/coach/cars - 40p to 60p

Crossways, Church Stretton - 40p to 60p

Season ticket prices

Frankwell (Shrewsbury) – Main only - £640 to £960

Back Lane (Much Wenlock) - £640 to £800

Abbey Foregate (Shrewsbury), Shirehall Overflow (Shrewsbury), Galdeford A (Ludlow), Castle Hill (Whitchurch), Pepper Street (Whitchurch), Easthope Road (Church Stretton), St Mary’s Lane (Much Wenlock), Frogmore Road (Market Drayton), Queen Street (Market Drayton) -  £480 to £640

Severn Street (Bridgnorth), Innage Lane (Bridgnorth), Galdeford B (Ludlow), Smithfield (Ludlow), Falcons Court (Much Wenlock), New Road (Much Wenlock), Crossways (Church Stretton), Cross Street (Ellesmere), Talbot Street (Ellesmere), Sparbridge (Ellesmere), Towers Lawn, 1 and 2 (Market Drayton), Prees Heath Leek Street (Wem), High Street(Wem), Mill Street (Wem), Newtown (Whitchurch), St John’s Street (Whitchurch), Brownlow Street(Whitchurch), Oak Street (Oswestry), Oswald Road (Oswestry) -  £320 to £480