Mass protest to demand free parking in Shrewsbury
A mass demonstration is being planned to demand free parking in Shrewsbury.
Organisers say they want more than 1,000 people to turn up in the town’s Square. They say radical action is needed to attract people to Shropshire’s market town.
Jeff Anderson, from Bodytech gym in Mardol, is organising the event. He has joined forces with Gwen Burgess from Darwin’s Coffee Shop and Mike Avery of Cromwells.
The protest is planned for July 24 at 6pm.
Mr Anderson said: “We are not protesting against the proposed changes to parking in the county. We are taking it one step further and are calling for free parking.
“This is the single most important decision that I have had to live with in the 20 years I have been in Shrewsbury and I hope that around 1,000 people will come along. I know there is great support for this.
“We have a lovely, lovely town here in Shrewsbury and we should be attracting people to it. But it seems that Shropshire Council is determined to go another way.
“I am hoping this will send a very strong message to Shirehall that we will not be messed around.”
Mr Anderson added: "This will not be a march - rather a static display of how people feel. It will be very powerful. People should bring banners to hold and let the council know what they think.
"I know free parking sounds a bit rash but it would be for around two hours and it would have to be enforced. We are not going to debate on how much people should pay to park in Shrewsbury – instead it should just be free for a set time.
"I am hoping this will send a very strong message to Shirehall that we will not be messed around. Everyone is coming together as one group on this. Together we are stronger than standing alone."
Shropshire Council wants to increase the cost of most car parking in the county, with parking restrictions being extended and the popular Pop and Shop scrapped.
Cabinet members agreed earlier this year that parking and permits across the county would follow a ‘linear’ tariff, with all car parks and on-street provision sorted into seven bands.
