Free parking initiative welcomed by Shropshire business leaders
A free parking initiative to help boost trade after lockdown has been welcomed by business leaders across Shropshire.
The scheme is being offered to provide the county’s town centre traders with a welcome boost once non-essential shops and personal care providers reopen, and pubs and restaurants are able to serve customers outdoors.
It has been welcomed by business leaders across the county, who say traders need support in a time of "extreme difficulty".
Seb Slater, executive director of Shrewsbury Business Improvement District (BID), said free parking should help traders "bounce back".
“This is a great initiative to help kick-start the recovery as restrictions begin to be lifted," he said.
"A lot of work is taking place to ensure Shrewsbury is a safe and welcoming place for people to visit, and the offer of free parking will help businesses bounce back following an extremely tough 12 months.”
Richard Sheehan, chief executive of Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "Shropshire Chamber of Commerce welcomes this initiative to support our town centre businesses in this time of extreme difficulty.
"We all have the opportunity to use this gesture to support our local retailers and hospitality venues; buy local has never been more important and use it or lose it really is something none of us want and all of us can avoid.”
Adele Nightingale, Oswestry BID manager, added: "As we start to come out of Covid restrictions any scheme that will help to encourage footfall back into our towns will be seen as positive step by all of our businesses. Oswestry BID supports this initiative and would ask everyone to shop locally and support our towns!”
Encouraging
Steve Davenport, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “We know that this year has been a challenging one for our town centres, for our local businesses, and for the local economy. We hope this offer will give our traders a much-needed boost once the current lockdown restrictions are eased by encouraging shoppers and visitors to our towns.
“It’s never been more important to think local and shop local – our local businesses will very much welcome your custom – and we hope this offer will help encourage people to do so.
“Clearly health and safety will remain a top priority. Our town centres will have social distancing measures in place to support safer shopping, and we remind people using our car parks and visiting our town centres to follow latest Government guidance, and take note of any signage.”
The offer comes after free parking was available in all Shropshire Council car parks from December 3 to January 17.
The free parking offer doesn’t include Prees Heath HGV Coach and Car Park; Crossways HGV, Coach and Car Park in Church Stretton; and the car parks at The Bog, at The Moors and Castlefields near The Mere in Ellesmere, and the Severn Valley Country Park car parks at Alveley and Highley.
On-street parking charges will remain so that the parking bays can be used for those needing to use the 15-minute ‘pop and shop’ free parking, and to provide short-stay and easy access to essential services in the town centres – especially for those who find it difficult to walk significant distances.
Parking is already free in all surface car parks after 6pm – but charges will continue to apply in Raven Meadows multi-storey after 6pm and overnight.
Current season ticket and residents’ permits for Shropshire Council car parks will be extended by two weeks.
