Delight after Market Drayton parking re-think

As part of a review of the county's parking charges, the council also decided not to implement fees at Newport Road's car park, which is a popular option for motorists using the town.

David Minnery and Roger Hughes are two county councillors who have fought for the town's parking fees to remain at their current rates.

Councillor Minnery said: "We have both been banging away at this for months. The hardest battle was retaining the free parking at Newport Road; that went right to the wire but thankfully common sense prevailed.

"Thank you everyone who contributed; it made the task much easier knowing that there was a small army of voices behind us."

On Facebook Mike Davis said: "Newport Road being free will help a lot of shopkeepers and workers who use that park to park and walk into town.

"Overall I think Drayton has come out of it pretty well compared to the likes of Shrewsbury."

Richard Priestley of the Market Drayton Community Partnership said: "That is seriously good news for the town and our thanks should be formally recorded to all those who got public support to achieve this outcome and to those at Shropshire Council who applied pressure to ensure common sense prevailed."

Geoff Vernon, chairman of the Festival Drayton Centre, was one of the instigators of a 3,000 name petition that went to Shropshire Council. It called for evening charges to remain in the area and for consideration of a Sunday charge instead.

After the decision Mr Vernon said: "We are very pleased that charges will not be imposed until after 8pm. We have hundreds of people visit Festival Drayton every week and the change could have had a drastic effect on those numbers. The evening economy is a growing and very important one."

"I do not know why the council did not consider Sunday charges, I can only assume it found another way to balance the books."