Shrewsbury parking fees ‘could rise by £5′
Monday 27th September 2010, 2:28PM BST.
Traders and visitors to Shrewsbury could have to fork out extra cash to park all day in parts of the town if new plans are introduced, it was claimed today.
Shropshire Council’s draft strategy and the proposed Shrewsbury Integrated Transport Plan are out to consultation and there are concerns at how much parking charges could rise.
Members of Shrewsbury Town Council’s finance and general purposes committee will consider the plans at a meeting tonight.
Councillor Peter Nutting said: “I can only comment on what I have read but it appears some all day parking charges could rise by £5 under the new strategy from Shropshire Council. I will be interested to hear what people have to say on the matter but from what I have read these measures are likely to affect both traders and people visiting the town.”
Among the proposals are suggested changes to the St Julian Friar’s Car Park which could see new short stay charges introduced. Long stay could also rise to £5 for up to 10 hours.
Abbey Foregate Car Park could see a rise to £4 for up to 10 hours, while the main Frankwell Car park could also rise by £1.50 for longer stay to £5 for 10 hours.
The meeting will start at the Guildhall at 6pm.
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Well done Shropshire Council at last they can see the way forward. The town is dying on it’s feet, businesses are closing due to lack of custom and the Council hike up the parking charges.
After this stupid decision I’ll bet the out of town supermarkets will do even better.
A touch of sarcasm in my first sentence, they must be wearing blinkers.
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I wondered how long it would be before the stealth tax that is car parking fees was hiked up by these muppets!
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Dear Councillor Nutting, I don’t live or shop reguarly in Shrewsbury but even I can tell you xactly what will happen ….. the retail parks n Shrewsbury and Telford will get even more customers !!!
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It is no surprise to read that parking fees are to rise again.At least 60% of all cars parked on the streets in Shrewsbury town centre are Blue badge holders. It would appear that all blue Badge holders are deemed to be poverty stricken, and unable to afford parking fees.
This of course is not so. The fact is that due to this situation the council is losing thousands of pounds every week, and rest of us having to pay more.
This badge is misused and abused by the holders many of whom could well use the bus.
So let’s get a level playing field Mr Nutting and the rest of you councillors and ensure everybody pays.for the privilege.
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Blue Badges are issued on the basis of medical need, rather than means-testing. While I agree that there is a level of abuse, (and most people can cite examples of sports cars adorned with blue badges), the vast majority are used quite correctly according to the regulations governing their use.
If you do see any examples of flagrant abuse, I suggest that you Google the local authority’s pages on reporting Blue Badge Fraud and follow the link provided to set the wheel in motion that any upstanding citizen should, when concerned about such abuses of privilege.
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Hasn’t enough been done already to destroy Shrewsbury town with it’s rediculious schemes that have had a very destructive effect on traders.
We have had road narrowing to cause congestion, so that a congestion charge can be eventually justified.
Parking wardens who even work on Sundays to grab extra money that drives visitors from the town.
Parking wardens should finish at 17.00 daily to give restaurants a chance to scoop some extra trade.
There should be free parking periods at various car parks to encourage trade and visitors to the town, (we constantly receive complaints from visitors) £5.00 is just going close Shrewsbury.
Some of the people who make decisions about our town should be replaced, as they seem to be out of touch with the general feelings of the business owners and visitors. We await your reply?
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Madness do these people have Shrewsbury and its traders and punters at heart ? or just quick ways for a quick buck.
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I do not live in or visit Shrewsbury now. The answer lies in your own hands when the Councillors elections are due, vote against the backers of this policy, these people can not afford to loose their over inflated expenses, (look up apt&c, scales and find out how much they can claim for travel attendence and meals) it will open your eyes. You have the power in your vote tell them that you do not want them sponging off the local people.
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Don’t shop in Shrewsbury centre now so they can put the prices up as much as they want!
Shoppers vote with their feet, its up to the business owners to take action if they want a future in Shrewsbury.
There used to be something called a chamber of commerce don’t know if it still exists!!!
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what next, £1.00 fee to walk over the welsh and english bridges, well done the council, RIP shrewsbury shoppping centres!!!!!!!!!!!!
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No Dave, just the English bridge. Money from English tax payers will be used to subsidise the Welsh bridge.
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Many very good, and I think accurate points and predictions. Over the last 20 years the reduction in the number of car parking spaces within the loop of the river, and the introduction of parking charges has forced car born trade away from Shrewsbury’s central business district. People instead preferring to patronise suburban retail locations, Telford town centre and even Chester and Birmingham. Such measures have not been helpful to traders in the town at all.
It’s interesting to note how many retail units in town are currently empty, and also to consider that many of these empty units have been for nigh on twenty years. I’ve noticed a slow shift from Shrewsbury based commercial agent’s boards, to Birmingham based commercial agent’s boards which are now giving way to London based agent’s boards, presumably as landlords become disenchanted with their agents who through no fault of their own cannot get commitment from existing businesses looking to expand, local start ups or newcomers branching in from outside the town. What does this tell us?
Talk of increased parking charges and even rumour of the introduction of a congestion charge in Shrewsbury will only weaken what confidence there is. The town’s decision makers need to be more realistic in their approach. Whilst a gridlocked town centre is in nobody’s best interest, we must acknowledge the fact that cars are essential for trade and prosperity, doubly so in a rural county.
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, Shrewsbury is not a scaled down London. The public transport infrastructure is not perfect, and unfortunately the lure of Pride Hill is not as strong as that of Oxford Street or The Bull Ring. Tourists and locals alike are more likely to think twice before venturing into Shrewsbury’s primary retail locations to buy high order goods than they will about driving out of town or as we are seeing, further afield.
We can already observe businesses closing, and vacant shops. Not exactly features that attract locals and visitors to spend their money. My concern is that the decline will accelerate at an exponential rate if the current attitude prevails; then we will see a very different town centre, a town centre that I’m sure nobody would be particularly proud of.
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“I can only comment on what I have read but it appears some all day parking charges could rise by £5 under the new strategy from Shropshire Council. I will be interested to hear what people have to say on the matter but from what I have read these measures are likely to affect both traders and people visiting the town.”
If you do this and the fees go up then you can look forward to the following Mr Nutting….
A dead town, worse than it already is.
No job for you because you won’t be re-elected.
Complaints from right,left and centre.
I work in the town everyday, i cannot use public transport because its non-existent where i live or pitiful. If you do this what’s the point in me coming to work? I could earn more on the dole because I won’t have to pay to park.
STOP RUINING THIS ONCE GREAT TOWN EVEN MORE!
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RIP Shrewsbury Town independent and not so independent traders.
Furthermore..just a thought..the implementation of the law concerning the Tesco planning application breach should be enforced quite soon now….shouldn’t it?
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why dont you kick out all the shrewsbury council members they getting to old and got to much money in there paychecks and dont live in real world. They get annual passes so they dont give a dam . about TIME WE HAD NEW BLOOD IN THE SEATS OF THE COUNCIL. IF YOU DONT ACT NOW SHREWSBURY WILL DIE ON ITS FEET.
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Mark Richards
This is coming from SHROPSHIRE council not SHREWSBURY town council – and you could kick out all the current Shrewsbury members and it would not make a pennyworth of difference as the decision will be made by a councillor who lives in Ludlow –
One of the consequences of the new Unitary Council is that they can stamp all over the county doing whatever they like and we the electorate cannot control them at unless everyone decided to vote other than Conservative in 2013 the next elections
Look at the numbers – out of 74 Councillors 53 are Conservative 21 are made up of Labour Liberals and Independents.
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Perhaps this is the problem same old faces telling us ALL what to do year in year out, when it comes to voting many do not bother so have to shoulder the blame.
£5 if Nutting cant see how wrong that is then clearly time for him to toddle off or time for all to EMAIL/CONTACT our MP and demand some action which benefits traders /shoppers to Shrewsbury.
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The death of Shrewsbury Town ccentre is on the cards. We just have to learn to accept it. There is no encouragement to use it only dicouragement. What a mess.
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Quite simple really, do not park in the centre of town because it’s convenient and instead park slightly outside the town centre and walk in! a little bit of exercise will be good for all of us. If your only shopping then use park and ride!
It’s worth a try, you may actually like it!!
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Why should I pay to get my car off the road, where it causes no obstruction, whilst many park on the road for free, surely this ‘tradition’ is obsolete and should be reversed!
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Well done redboy. The “slightly outside the town centre” areas are already short of parking spaces. Howabout we do a park and ride scheme from outside your house and see if you like people using your locality as a car park.
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Before people shout and yell… i meant to say “slightly outside the town centre”.. CAR PARKS, not outside peoples houses, is that clear enough?
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What a ludicrous suggestion – town centres are dying on their feet – we are doing our best to support shropshire business but councils seem to be on another planet and intent on making life as difficult as possible. Shrewsbury RIP – frozen in its victorian past. Will the last person to leave (which wont be long) switch the lights out.
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I used to shop in Shrewsbury all the time – lovely place to visit and quite happy to travel an extra few miles for the range of shops – but not anymore. I was there last week and the place looks like a bomb has hit it – you’ll loose out to more forward thinking towns – RIP Shrewsbury.
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Damn Labour and thier stealth tax (oh wait) Shrewsbury is full blue tory, where is that man Dan the MP why is he not challenging this, again another tory so wont.
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He doesn’t challenge he demands..
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I’m starting to think that the councillors in Shrewsbury own shops in Telford Town Centre
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Just another example of complete incompetence by these people – they refuse to support local initiatives – (heard they’ve just blocked a community market in Castlegates) – but lo and behold what do I see in the square on the weekend – an Italian market ( apparently from London !) – makes you sick.
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How about considering using one of the Park & Rides. £1.20 a day per person and you don’t congest the town loop with you car. I do so regularly with working in the town and have no issues. Of course the council want to make a quick buck off motorists for parking in the town but remember they also fund the Park & Ride to provide a cheaper alternative.
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People class York with Shrewsbury, to park anywhere in the centre of York last year was £9.50. per day, I have found that compared with other distant towns Shrewsbury is good value.
We have a excellent Park and Ride service that serves most of the town areas. The days of cars driving into Town’s are over so we all should get used to it.
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York !!!!! are you mad. Its more like Mansfield or Northampton.
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I park at the the car park behind the beaten track pub everyday. It’s free to park and only 5 mins walk from the town centre. So Nutting can do what he wants i don’t care.
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The Shroppie does know lure in the slow readers doesn’t it!
Town councillor (who is also an independent shopkeeper in the town centre, as it happens) comments on a draft county council plan out for consultation. His own view is diplomatically expressed but quite clear – he opposes any increase in parking charges
“… these measures are likely to affect both traders and people visiting the town.”
Response from readers – WHAT!!! How dare Cllr Nutting increase our parking fees. Doesn’t he realise the harm this will do to us all. We might as well go to Telford (or York). Why do we have a town council anyway? Kill them all!
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Spot on Chris.
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I am going to convert my garden to a car park and charge £2 a day.
I will make a fortune, it will annoy the neighbours but what the heck…
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Once I make enough money i will pay for some some to remove the stupid crossing on the Smithfield road. ;)
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£5 is a lot of money to pay just to park your car. However I still think Shrewsbury has a lot to offer even compared to somewhere like Birmingham or Telford where you will not find the more interesting one of a kind shops that you get in Shrewsbury.
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An increase in car park charges will destroy the town as we know it and will also affect local residents who already have limited residential parking!
Visitors to the town will be looking for alternative methods for parking turning to nearby residential streets. The likes of BelleVue, Coleham, Ellesmere Road, Greenfields and Frankwell will be amongst some of the hardest hit when parking is already a problem!
Trades within the town centre should be celebrated and not victimised further, in the current climate a small town like Shrewsbury can only survive through encouragement of visitors. We are lucky enough to be a small town with lots to offer. The charges will mirror those set by larger towns and cities that have the capacity, is this fair?
Retails parks do not offer the variety of shops, boutiques, restaurants and historical attractions that our town centre offers, why take this away?
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