Oswestry Town Council suspends introduction of overnight parking charges

Oswestry Town Council has decided to suspend the introduction of overnight car parking fees following an extraordinary meeting called by the Mayor of Oswestry, Cllr Rosie Radford, at The Guildhall on Wednesday, 4 March.

The Mayor said: “I called this meeting because listening to our community matters. The feedback we received from local residents and community organisations was clear, and it was vital that we listened and acted on what we heard. Whilst we need to make sure we have the funding to serve our community well, we must listen to what people are telling us.”

Listening to residents, local groups, and businesses, the council heard that many are already feeling the pressure of rising costs and are worried that overnight parking fees could make things harder still. There was particular concern about the effect on the town’s evening and nighttime economy.

The council also listened carefully to warnings about displaced parking pushing more cars into surrounding residential streets, potentially causing congestion, access problems for emergency vehicles and frustration for those living nearby.

Taking these concerns seriously, the council voted to suspend the planned overnight parking charges. Going further, councillors agreed that any future decisions about overnight parking will be subject to public consultation, ensuring the community has a proper say before anything changes.