Shropshire parking charges challenge is rejected again

New fees approved by Shropshire Council's cabinet in January will see all car parks and on-street zones sorted into seven bands as part of a new 'linear pricing' approach.

The charges range from £2.50 per hour in band one, to no charge in band seven.

After the strategy was passed, it was called in for a review by the council's Liberal Democrat group and debated by the authority's place overview committee, which said no changes should be recommended to cabinet.

However, it was decided that the call-in had initially been brought before the wrong committee and it was taken back for a second time to be discussed by the performance management scrutiny committee.

But the decision was a repeat of the initial verdict as it was dismissed for a second time.

The group's main concerns surrounded charges at Ludlow's Castle Street Car Park – set in band three at £1 per hour – along with the three car parks in Wem, which will rise from 10p per hour to 30p under the new strategy.

'Fragile'

The call-in also asked the committee to recommend retaining the free on-street parking in Ludlow after 6pm rather than charge until 8pm as planned.

Councillor Andy Boddington, who represents Ludlow North, said: "I have talked to a lot of residents about this and most of them are concerned. They want to see Ludlow vibrant at night. We have a very weak night time economy, it is very fragile, and we are concerned these charges will damage it."

Council officer Shaun Sutton said the new fees would mean evening workers starting shifts at 6pm would have to use the car park, where free parking at 6pm would be retained, freeing up on-street spaces for customers.

Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Boddington said: "I was appalled. The committee didn't pay any attention to the impact on Ludlow's economy of higher charges. They had disregarded the impact on our fragile evening economy.

"I am fed up with councillors who travel to Ludlow once in a blue moon, if at all, assuming they know how Ludlow ticks. They do not. We local councillors do, that's why we are elected. But under the current scrutiny process local views seem to count for nothing."

Turning to the concerns over Wem, Councillor Chris Mellings said the town's car parks should be in band seven – where parking would be free – rather than six, the cheapest paid band.

He said it was unfair for Wem to have the same charges as the likes of Ellesmere and Whitchurch.

The call-in also criticised the planned rise in tradespersons' waivers from £10 to £20 for second and subsequent days, and slashing the 'pop and shop' limit from 15 minutes to five.

But after hearing the concerns, Councillor Gwilym Butler – who chaired the place overview meeting last month that first rejected the call in – proposed, again, that no changes be recommended to cabinet.

His proposal was voted through.