New ticket machines for Wellington car parks

Fines will be handed out to drivers who stay for longer than three hours in four town centre car parks.

Car parking in the town is currently free, although there is a three hour time limit on the short stay car parks allowing motorists to leave their cars while they shop.

But Wellington Town Council says the time limit is difficult to enforce and it has limited options to create more spaces.

In a letter, sent out by Karen Roper, clerk to the council,it says: "It is generally felt that when people park all day, taking up spaces meant for shoppers it damages the economy of Wellington.

"As a result the town council, the town’s Market traders, the Wellington Chamber of Commerce and Telford & Wrekin Council have formed a partnership to come up with solutions to tackle the problem."

The new partnership hopes to make sure it can get more cars in and out of the spaces during the day, provide more capacity and increasing the vitality and viability of Wellington’s town centre businesses and market.

An agreement has been reached to install new parking machines that will issue free tickets at the car parks at Wellington Civic & Leisure Centre, Nailors Row, Walker Street and Victoria Road North.

The machines will issue free tickets with a specific expiry time to motorists. This will make it easier to manage the short stay parking and stop it being abused by motorists that leave their cars in spaces for longer than the allotted three hours.

Any car that is still parked in a space after the expiry time of the ticket will receive a fine.

Ten machines will be installed during the course of April 2017.

It also, plans at a later date, to revisit the provision of long stay parking in the centre of Wellington.