Shrewsbury must be more ‘car friendly’, says MP Kawczynski
Wednesday 13th July 2011, 11:00AM BST.
Shrewsbury needs to be more “car friendly” with fewer parking restrictions to make it easier for people to visit and support traders, the town’s MP claimed today.
Daniel Kawczynski said he backed ideas put forward by business leaders earlier this week to scrap pay-and-display machines at the town’s surface car parks in favour of pay-on-exit barriers.
But he also called for other areas of the town’s parking to be looked at to ensure elderly people and tourists who rely on cars did not find it too difficult or costly to visit Shrewsbury.
His comments come after Shropshire Council leaders and local businesses last week agreed to work together to help promote Shrewsbury and encourage people to visit the town.
Today Mr Kawczynski said: “I am very conscious that traders are concerned about parking.
“Parking in Shrewsbury isn’t the easiest of things to do in my view.
“I’m hoping there will be more of a car friendly policy.
“Although I do think it is important to cycle, some people rely on their cars, particularly elderly people coming from surrounding villages. We’re not all young agile people who can get around easily.”
And he welcomed calls for pay-on-exit barriers to be introduced on surface car parks in the town after Simon Airey, president of Shrewsbury Business Chamber, and John Hall, from Shop in the Loop which represents town traders, suggested the idea earlier this week.
Mr Kawczynski said: “Pay on exit is a very good idea.
“With the tickets you buy at the moment you’re rushing and your car is on the clock all the time and you may not do things you would like to do.
“We certainly don’t want to have a system which encourages tourists and people who come into the town to try to get out as quickly as they can.”
And Mr Kawczynski said he did not want Shrewsbury to get a reputation as being a place that was more difficult to shop because of parking than the likes of Telford or Chester.
He said: “We want Shrewsbury to have a reputation of being a car friendly town.”
By John Kirk
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He’s right of course, lets demolish all the old buildings to create new car parks and wider roads. It’ll be amazing.
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The voice of common sense .
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Why not do like Wolverhampton,no parking charges on Sundays or holidays,
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Shut the town centre to all traffic except buses and taxis, why High Street and Shoplatch are still open to traffic is just ridiculous, its not like you can just pull over and pop into a shop..
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No excuse for a bus or taxi to be driving through the high street stop all traffic people can walk to the bus station or to a taxi office. Make frankwell car park bigger by using the cricket pitch AND MAKE IT A FLAT FEE OF ALL DAY PARKING FOR £2.50 MAX 10 HOURS JOB DONE.
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I was just a bit worried about all the motability scooters blocking the High Street..
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For fairness, or in fact in for preference, there should be no Sunday or Public Holiday parking charges for the County Market Towns either.
They are struggling because visitors arrive for social, leisure and tourist reasons not just shopping. Parking charges are not conducive encouraging these visitors to take time to explore our County especially here in the North+East, which doesn’t have the magnificence of the South Shropshire Landscape as a draw.
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What better way than the Northern Relief Road?
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Residents seem to have very little choice at the moment. Bus services are being drastically cut with little thought to those working night shifts or who want to visiti Shrewsbury on Sundays. In addition car parking charges are excessive and on the rise. We need to make public transport more affordable and pleasant whilst ensuring those who do need to come by car are not getting severly hit in the pocket.
But it seems the Council’s priority at the moment is ensuring money is spent on refurbishing the Leader’s office – very worthwhile for the community!
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Hi Tom
Severnside housing has cheap town centre garages. You don’t need to be a tenant to apply. The waiting list is long but it costs nothing to put your name down.
Best, Kat
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Crazy! We need to be more walker, cyclist and bus user friendly! We should be putting on more buses instead of stopping services.
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Yes.
All well and good.
But what if I lived in Yockleton? Or Ryton? Or Picklescott? How would I get to Shrewsbury town centre? Walk? Cycle?
Bus maybe? But do you really think that an additional bus service would be provided for those that live in hamlets, serviced by roads not suitable for buses, where said bus would transport no more than 100 persons per week?
Get real.
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Don’t be silly. There are plenty of car parks, it’s the town CENTRE that needs to be people-friendly and car-free.
The problem is the number of people all wanting to get into the town at the same times and wanting to do it in their cars (and not wanting to pay for parking). The vast majority of cars I see have only one occupant. The queues are caused by cars, not traffic lights or walkers.
I never drive to town in my car. I use the Park & Ride or one of the peripheral car parks and walk the short distance from there. The town centre would be much nicer without traffic clogging it up. Most drivers are only using it as a shortcut to somewhere else anyway.
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People who can’t afford to park are unlikely to spend money in town.
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Ha, totally agree.
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Bulldoze the lot!! Shropshire Council has destroyed Shrewsbury!!!
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Shropshire Council has decided to withdraw support for the Sunday 64/164 bus route between Newcastle Under Lyme & Shrewsbury via Market Drayton from this weekend.
I have heard a rumour that Staffordshire Council are to support the Sunday daytime 164 section of the route, that is the bit between Market Drayton and Newcastle under Lyme, with 5 return buses each Sunday.
If this happens Shrewsbury will be losing Sunday trade to the Potteries.
For info, Market Drayton is in Shropshire.
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Far too late dear MP – the town is in terminal decline due to – er um? – oh yes – huge out of town centre retail parks!
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How dare they be a convenient alternative
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..and cheaper
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Well there is nothing like the “right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing” or is just the way the council is in Shrewsbury?
On one hand they are increasing parking charges, sending out traffic wardens at night, introducing more cycle lanes and reducing the number of subsidised bus services.
Now they are saying they are a car friendly town and agree with the local MP to ensure this message is put across as so.
Contradictory waffle as always from the numpties at Ivory Towers.
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Shrewsbury need more pedestrianisation otherwise why come? You can see lines of cars and take your life in your hands crossing the road in most towns hence the invention of shopping malls.
As soon as Birmingham pedestrianised large areas people realised that it had some great architecture which you could now see instead of struggling on your way on overcrowded pavements past polluting cars.
The river on Smithfield Road is wasted as an asset having gone from town livestock market to vehicle rat run.
If only the Gay meadow site had incorporated underground or ground level parking with the theatre above. It would only be out of use a few days a year when we get floods.
With access to Pride Hill maybe via a rebuilt Dana with escalators perhaps etc we could help move everyone including the less able folk around the town.
The flow of essential vehicular traffic in Shrewsbury need addressing but also that of pedestrians so that the town can truly show off it’s buildings and services.
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Presumably being more car friendly will also include the use of the numerous bandwagons he regularly jumps on?
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Nice joke :)
Kat
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Why does Shrewsbury need to be more car friendly when if you got to Telford Shopping centre you will find plenty of car parking spaces???
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Two suggestions…
Traders could consider reimbursing parking fees for shoppers who spend a fair bit.
It town could be made much more pedestrian friendly. We need crossings on Wyle Cip and High St. I’m amazed I have never seen a pedestrian hit by a car or a bike on the Cop. Further, many towns have closed their centres to traffic and allow deliveries only early mornings and late afternoon (eg, Canterbury and Crewe)plus all day access for blue badge holders. I assume that, given the contraints of the loop, bus routes wouldn’t change.
Kar
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I got knocked by a mirror on a van going up the Cop about ten years ago. It was painful but the driver did not appear to notice and it probably happened because the pavement was so crowded.
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shropshire council are self elected,who wanted unitary and promised no rise in poll tax,because scc where massively overspending and wanted the assets of sabc and all assets of the other local councils now they have blown this money they have to raise money in any way they can.Dont expect any help for the town unless they can find away of taking it from somewhere else.
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Disruption for motorists while a cycle route is made and a call for a ‘car friendly’ town centre in the same issue?
Could be carnage out there when the extra motorists cut a swathe through the extra cyclists and extra motability scooter riders have to come to their aid.
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