New signs to ease problems at Market Drayton car park
New parking enforcement measures are set to be introduced at one of a town's public car parks to ease the existing chaos there.
Shropshire Council is looking at introducing new signs at Market Drayton's swimming pool car park to tackle the problem of a lack of available parking spaces.
The signs would aim to prevent people from leaving their cars there longer than 24 hours.
It comes just weeks after motorists claimed they are being forced to abandon their cars on grass verges and pavements because of a lack of parking at the car park.
Users of the town's swimming pool said it can be a "nightmare" trying to find anywhere to park due to people using the free car park for shopping trips into town and to park for work.
This week it also emerged the car park was being used for selling untaxed vehicles.
Several vehicles, believed to be owned by the same person, had to be seized by police.
Constable Mick Sturland, of Market Drayton's safer neighbourhood team, said: "We had a report about several cars parked on the swimming pool car park, which had been there for some time and were taking up valuable parking bays.
"After some investigation, we found seven had no vehicle excise licence and one was declared off road to DVLA.
"We now have specially trained officers who have the authority to seize untaxed vehicles kept on public roads, which includes car parks.
"We believed these cars were all owned by the same person who was using the car park to sell cars.
"All were seized and will cost the owner to have them back, plus the tax. An expensive day!
"Car tax is something we all have to pay and at least these have been taken off the road.
"Shropshire Council will also be displaying a 24 hour maximum parking limit sign at the car park soon so that any vehicles left after that time can be issued a fixed penalty by their enforcement officers."
Zoe Mortimer, Shropshire Council’s engineering and contracts manager, said: “Shropshire Council is looking at placing some signage at this car park.
"This would help support any required enforcement of vehicles being left in excess of 24 hours, which appears to have been a contributory factor to the lack of parking spaces here.”
Resident Stuart Farnell said a lot of people use the swimming pool’s car park due to a lack of free parking within Market Drayton.
