Traders’ fears over parking fee rise
Monday 8th March 2010, 10:07AM GMT.
Businesses in Shrewsbury town centre already struggling with the recession and the aftermath of the town blast will be hit hard by new parking charges, it was claimed today.
Shropshire Council’s charges, which could rake in £400,000, are due to be come into force on April 1.
But today John Hall, chairman of Shop in the Loop which represents town centre traders in Shrewsbury, said: “Given the problems in the town centre in the aftermath of the explosion this is not good timing at all and an increase in charges of between 10 and 20 per cent is very hard to justify in the current climate.”
Many of the increases unveiled in the plans for short-stay parking will range from 10p to 20p with some all-day tariffs rising by 40p and 60p.
James Walton, the council’s assistant director for strategy and business support, said the proposal to increase charges, both on-street and off-street, was considered as part of its wider budget review.
He said the review, which had been “extensively consulted” upon since October, included proposal to raise £412,000 from increased parking charges.
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I have just visited Chester City on Saturday for a day out and look arround the shops. I parked in the Westgate Carpark near the Westgate Arena for £3.00 ALL DAY.
If I park in Shrewsbury it costs £1.20 in Raven Meadows for 1 hour. If Shrewsbury want to encourage tourists and general comunity of Shropshire to park, I would suggest they beware of the competition. I really enjoyed Chester and will go again.
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Well that’s less visits to Shrewsbury, then. But why would Shropshire County Council care?
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there’s plenty of free parking at the three park and ride sites and a very frequent and cheap bus fare into town. Shop in the Loop should plug that a bit more and stop moaning about parking.
It’s not the cost of parking that puts me off shopping in the town centre, it’s the danger from having to negotiate with the constant stream of vehicles and all the pollution. High St, Wyle Cop, Shoplatch, Mardol, Castle St, Dogpole and Roushill are just not pleasant places to be walking around in.
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seems that the ever expanding tesco etc have the council firmly on there side, free parking, cheaper prices, clean toilet facilities.loop RIP!
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If the council wish to make money from car parking then let us have a level playing field.All blue badge holders should pay the same as the rest of us.
The misuse and abuse of this badge is appalling.
Shrewsbury town centre is full of them
They park on double yellow lines, opposite bus stops where the rest of us are done for obstruction.
For the most part they also have the very latest in cars that I could only dream about.
Ask yourself this. Why are blue badge holders considered to all be in poverty ? What a joke!
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Shrewsbury’s edge of town retail parks are packed at the weekends – most likely because parking is free. Increasing Park & Ride buses might help. At the moment its often standing room only at peak times, the drivers go too fast and don’t wait until people are seated before taking off at full speed. Not good for the elderly or people with small children/pushchairs or lots of purchases to carry.
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I will carry on doing as I have always done. Park on a residential street just outside shrewsbury and bus it in to town with one of those reasonably priced, quite reliable, council tax subsidised buses I already pay for that pass through every 15 minutes.
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Yesterday the authorities were quoted as claiming ‘The increases are not expected to have too great an impact on trade and it was generally accepted that rises were on the way’
Really – well why this article then?
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I have the misfortune, and it is a misfortune, to work in Shrewsbury town centre – the rises in parking charges mean I’m going to see my parking costs rise by £120 a year to an eye watering £840.
I think its disgusting that in the present economic climate the council has chosen to increase the costs of parking all day at Abbeyforegate by 25% and 16% for Frankwell.
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See your parking cost rise by £120 a year Louise OR reduce it by about £500 by using a Park and Ride! And cut your carbon footprint and town centre congestion too.
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a g bell
would love to use the park and ride but the last bus from town is 6.30pm.
Not much use if you’re working a late shift until 10pm!
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And not a word from the MP Daniel Kawczynski who usually jumps on all other bandwagons, but then again he would be going against a Tory Council so expect him to remain silent.
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