Shropshire Council looks to increase on-street and car park charges

The council says the changes are being proposed to encourage people to change behaviour, and to raise additional income for spending on the maintenance of car parks.

In Shrewsbury, parking at Frankwell would rise from 80p to £1.20 per hour whilst on-street parking would increase from £2.80 per hour to £3.60 per hour.

Other council-owned car parks in the town would also see increases to parking charges. Parking charges would also be extended to 8pm rather than the current cut-off at 6pm.

The council said the increase in charges would help re-distribute vehicles by encouraging motorists to park outside of the river loop, or to use Park and Ride or other bus services, or – if possible – to walk, cycle or use other forms of active travel.

The report recognises that improvements to the reliability and frequency of the park and ride service is needed, and says that initially research will take place into the feasibility of a late bus for people unable to catch the current last bus at 6.30pm.

Outside Shrewsbury, an increase in tariffs is proposed to improve the operation of the car parks, particularly in terms of maintenance. A fixed amount is to be applied to all tariffs.

Whitchurch, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Much Wenlock and Church Stretton would see an increase from 60p to 80p per hour. Whilst in Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Oswestry and Ellesmere parking would rise from £1.20 to £1.40.

In Ludlow, on-street parking would also increase from £2 to £2.20 per hour.

Other recommendations include charging for parking until 8pm (rather than 6pm as at present) in Shrewsbury, and to introduce/increase Sunday and bank holiday charges across the county.

Permit/season ticket charges are also proposed to increase in proportion with the hourly tariff changes.

If all proposals within the report are approved, it is estimated that an additional income of £1.76m per year will be achieved after implementation costs have been taken out.

If agreed the changes will come into effect on 1 April 2024.

Cabinet will also be asked to agree the preparation of a Parking Asset Improvement Plan for the repair and maintenance of car parks throughout the Shropshire; to review the parking service’s roles and structure; and that the council’s parking strategy is reviewed and rewritten.

Dan Morris, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways and transport, said:

“We know that not everyone will welcome these proposals, but we ask people to understand the reasons behind them.

“In Shrewsbury the primary objective is to encourage motorists to park outside the river loop – or use other forms of transport – reducing the number of vehicles entering the town centre, helping to increase the number of spaces available for those who need them, and minimising emissions.

“Outside Shrewsbury several car parks are close to meeting or exceeding the optimal occupancy level.

"And our 83 car parks have not kept pace with maintenance requirements such as surfacing, lining, signing, drainage, boundaries, green assets, and cleaning. To address the car park maintenance needs in Shropshire an increase in charges is required throughout the county.

“In short, we hope these proposals will encourage people to park outside Shrewsbury’s river loop – or use alternative modes of travel – and will enable the council to better maintain our car parks and bring them up to the standard that people require and expect.”

Shrewsbury BID Raises Concerns

Seb Slater, Shrewsbury BID’s executive director, stated, “We are very concerned about the impact these proposed increases will have on regular visitors to the town and the local economy.

"The proposed extension of charging hours until 8 pm and the reduction of Sunday parking offers pose a threat to the town’s evening and Sunday economies. The impact on town centre workers is also of real concern. Under the new scheme, a worker currently paying £4.80 for parking at Abbey Foregate all day will now face a daily charge of £8, with season tickets also set to increase by up to 67%.

"We are now engaging with town centre businesses on this issue and Shrewsbury BID will be actively lobbying Shropshire Council to reconsider the proposed charge changes, as well as seeking firm commitments for investment in sustainable alternatives for people to access the town centre.”

Deborah Carvell, owner of Carvell on the Square, Carvell Lingerie and Swimwear and soon to be opened Deja Vu, commented, “As the owner of multiple independent businesses in Shrewsbury, I'm incredibly concerned about the impact of these proposals. These price hikes threaten to deter people from visiting the town centre, will be hugely challenging for Shrewsbury workers from across the County and will undoubtedly threatens the vitality of our economy. Such steep price increases seem short-sighted, and the Council must surely reconsider these proposals and engage in meaningful dialogue with local businesses to consider the broader impact.”

Shrewsbury BID is asking businesses to share their views through a dedicated survey. The data gathered from this survey will be used to support Shrewsbury BID’s lobbying efforts ahead of the Shropshire Council Cabinet meeting scheduled for January 17th.

Opposition

Liberal Democrat councillors in Shrewsbury have raised their opposition to Shropshire Council plans to hike car parking charges throughout the town.

The town's Lib Dems say they support measures to get traffic out of town but are frustrated by the charges being put in so quickly and without proper alternatives in place for many residents and businesses.

Councillor Alex Wagner said: "Reducing traffic in the town centre is really important, but this isn't the way to do it. Several town centre businesses I have spoken with are really worried by the charges being put up by so much with so little consultation.

"The only reason these increases are so drastic is due to the terrible financial state that Shropshire Council has ended up in. 

"Before putting charges up, we need to see progress on alternatives whether that's a free park and ride service, buses on Sundays, or real improvements to walking and cycling routes."

The full report can be viewed online.