Shrewsbury BID says revised parking tariff proposals don't go far enough to address concerns

Shrewsbury business leaders have welcomed proposed adjustments to some of the parking tariff increases put forward by Shropshire Council in January – but say the changes don’t go far enough to address local business concerns.

Shrewsbury BID has been campaigning against the proposed increase in car park charges since they were announced, collecting feedback from businesses and the community and sharing an in-depth economic impact assessment with the Council.

Seb Slater, executive director of Shrewsbury BID, said that whilst the revised proposals were a step in the right direction, businesses remained concerned about the impact of many of the parking charge increases proposed.

He said: “While we acknowledge the reduced price increase at Abbey Foregate (33% rather than 67%), the shift to a more reasonable £1.00 flat fee for evening parking between 6pm and 10pm, and the introduction of a one-hour parking fee cap on Sundays at Abbey Foregate and Frankwell, we believe more can be done to address the broader impact on our town’s businesses and workforce.

“Consistency across other key areas, particularly at Frankwell car park as the only other out-of-loop car park in Shrewsbury, is essential. Currently, the Council plans to increase the hourly parking tariff at Frankwell car park by 50% and is now proposing an increase at Raven Meadows of 20%.

“In keeping with the Council’s aim of reducing town-centre traffic, we believe that introducing a significant cost gap between Abbey Foregate car park (80p an hour) and Frankwell (£1.20) will encourage further cross-town journeys by those entering Shrewsbury from the west side.

“We have asked the Council to apply the same 20p per hour increase at Frankwell as at Abbey Foregate car park to minimise cross-town car journeys and ensure fairness for those who work and live on Shrewsbury’s west side.

“We also welcome the Council’s willingness to consider a capped worker offer through the MiPermit system and we look forward to discussing this further with the Council shortly.”

“The introduction of a half-price offer on Park & Ride (£1 per return journey), alongside a timetabled service at the beginning and end of the day to accommodate early morning and evening workers, is a positive development.

“We believe it is vital that this initiative is launched and promoted well in advance of any parking tariff increases, and would encourage the Council to implement a permanent price reduction to encourage a long-term behavioural shift to public transport.”

Shrewsbury BID will also be requesting that the Council undertakes a comprehensive review of all town centre parking and related performance data six months after implementing the proposed increases. This review will be critical to assess the real-world impacts of these changes and determine if corrective action may be necessary.

Seb added: “We appreciate the Council’s intention to incorporate public consultation into this process and Shrewsbury BID remains committed to continuing our dialogue with Shropshire Council to ensure that any parking strategy genuinely supports the local business community.”

The proposed changes will be considered at a Full Cabinet meeting of Shropshire Council on Wednesday.

Shrewsbury BID says it will continue to engage with the Council to represent the concerns of town centre businesses and their employees.