Petition calls for drop in town parking charges

2 hours ago

Becca Simmonds,in Shrewsburyand

Paul Rogers,Local Democracy Reporter, Shropshire

News image — Tamarin Bibow said she was asking whether the current pricing benefited the town

LDRS A woman with long black hair, wearing a blue vest top, stands by a parking machine in a town centre car park in front of a row of brick-built shops and restaurants — Tamarin Bibow said she was asking whether the current pricing benefited the town

Campaigners are calling on Shropshire Council to review parking charges in Shrewsbury.

Tamarin Bibow, a parish councillor in Ruyton-XI-Towns, has launched a petition after a recent social media post attracted widespread attention, with people saying the fees put them off shopping in town.

Her petition calls on the authority to consider making parking in Shrewsbury more affordable, looking at greater parity with council car parks in smaller towns.

The council said the most recent price rise, in November, followed a three-year hiatus, and was necessary to make up reduced funding from the Department of Transport.

"People are telling me they are choosing to go to Telford instead, with parking costs and congestion both playing a part. That should concern all of us," Bibow said.

She added Raven Meadows was a particular example where the council should consider whether its current pricing represents good value.

"Raven Meadows is one of the more expensive options, yet outside the shopping centre's opening hours access [on foot] into the town centre can become less convenient," she said.

Becca Simmonds/BBC A couple stand in front of a sandstone retail building in a town centre. The woman, on the left, has white hair and is wearing a blue top and cream gilet. He wears a blue baseball cap, pale blue shirt and black gilet, and has a white moustache and blakc-framed glasses. — Cynthia and Philip Davies agreed charges should be reduced

Rates in the town are as much as £3.60 an hour on town centre streets and £2.40 in the Raven Meadows multi-storey, going down to 70p at Abbey Foregate.

Shoppers told BBC Radio Shropshire they agreed with the petition's aims.

"I think it should be lower. Parking now, paying for it, is very expensive," said Philip Davies.

Umar Qamar said the £5.80 he had paid for about two hours' parking was a "very, very high price", and a pound per hour would be more reasonable.

Sam Jacobs agreed: "It's gone up a lot over the past few years... which obviously is going to be bad for local businesses and small businesses."

Becca Simmonds/BBC A man with short dark hair smiles at the camera on a town centre street, backed by black-and-white half-timbered buildings. He has glasses on top of his head and is wearing a grey T-shirt. — Umar Qamar called for lower rates

A council spokesperson said: "The transport funding that Shropshire Council is receiving from the government is not keeping track with costs, so we must look to other sources to support stretched budgets.

The authority added a new review of parking charges in car parks and on-street parking areas was currently being carried out, with a report due to be considered by its cabinet in September.

"This review aims to balance revenue with the objectives of Shropshire's emerging local transport plan, which seeks to encourage sustainable travel choices and reduce congestion in town centres."