Bid for solution to parking

Problems with parking enforcement in Ellesmere, which traders claim have hammered business, could be resolved this month.

At a meeting of Ellesmere Town Council yesterday, councillors decided to team up with shop owners in the town to find a solution to parking problems.

Last year traders claimed their businesses were being crippled because indiscriminate parking fines put customers off when ParkRight wardens started working in the town.

Following a series of negotiations between the town council and Shropshire County Council transport chiefs, who are jointly responsible for employing ParkRight, parking officials agreed to suspend parking enforcement in the town until April.

At last night’s meeting, members decided to compile a survey of parking in the town to find out people’s attitude towards parking enforcement and what sort of restrictions traders and residents would like to see put in place.

Town councillor Anne Hartley said: “We need to come together as a group to formulate what we think are possible orders, but there is some disarray throughout the county, not just us.”