Lib Dem councillor welcomes parking charge re-think

But Nat Green said the topic would still be called into scrutiny as a back-up.

Shropshire Council’s leader Peter Nutting said he was minded to support traders in scrapping plans to extend evening parking charges from 6pm to 8pm.

After discussions between the authority and Shrewsbury BID, leader of the council Peter Nutting and Steve Davenport, cabinet member for highways and transport, said that they were minded to support the BID’s request, and it will be formally considered by cabinet shortly.

The initial plans had been to introduce charging until 8pm on-street and in the Bridge Street, St Austin’s Street and Quarry swimming centre car parks.

Councillor Nat Green, for Quarry and Coton Hill, said he was pleased with the news.

He said: "We're very pleased that they're going to look at it again, however the call-in remains as an insurance if nothing happens, but I suspect something will be changed.

"I think it's quite clear that the council realises it simply doesn't look good.

"Let's hope that they come to a better result and bring back the 6pm charge ending.

"This is a political move to try and pre-empt the fact that if it went to the scrutiny then the criticism would become public.

"But on the whole it's good news."

Councillor Green added: "Shropshire Council over the next few years has got a very poor cash flow, so we didn't think we could challenge them about the linear charging as they're desperate for the money.

"We felt that the charging time increase was the weakest proposal."

It has already been formally agreed that under the new strategy there will be free parking on Sundays and bank holidays in Frankwell and Abbey Foregate, 15 minutes’ ‘pop-and-shop’ free parking in all car parks, discounted weekly and season tickets in Frankwell and Abbey Foregate, and that parking for up to five hours in Frankwell and Abbey Foregate will be cheaper than it is now.

Parking charges across the county will follow a 'linear' tariff, and charges for each car park in the county will be different, depending on where it is and the demand for spaces.

The changes already agreed are due to come into effect in Shrewsbury in September before the new parking strategy is rolled out across the county.