'People might go to Telford instead!' Traders and shoppers fear impact of Shrewsbury parking hikes

The hikes are set to include charging hours being extended to 8pm. Sundays and Bank Holidays would also be charged at the full rate under proposals, which were recently approved by Shropshire Council's cabinet and will come into effect in April.

The council's point about having to keep pace with rising costs of maintaining the car parks and raising an extra £1.7million to do so were met by some in the town with a red-cheeked glow of cost of living crisis exasperation. It's another unwanted cost to add to increasing financial burdens.

Kerry Mason, who owns the tiny Thighs the Limit tights and legs accessories shop in Mardol, is already having to battle changes in the market.

For her the increases from £2.80 to £3.60 at on-street locations, with rises from £2 to £2.80 at council car parks, just give her business another body blow.

Kerry, who has been at her shop for 14 years, said it was a "dreadful decision" as she seeks to diversify.

"During Covid people found that they didn't need to dress up, and now people do not dress up any more, even to go to the theatre," she said.

"On top of that change in the market the parking spaces outside the shop have been taken away in favour of loading bays and we have the town centre traffic ban at weekends, and now an increase in parking charges.

"I fear that people will bypass us and go to Telford."

An alleged "lack of consultation" by the council was a common complaint among people the Shropshire Star spoke to about the changes.

Speaking in the Frankwell area, in the huge main car park, one anonymous resident was concerned that the rise in parking costs could see drivers hunting for spaces in narrow residential streets as a way of escaping the increases.

"It is going to lead to a lot of conflict on the terraced streets of the area," said the resident.