Controversial parking charges in Market Drayton are here to stay, the leader of Shropshire Council has declared.

But Shirehall chiefs are considering making concessions to ease the impact of the new charging regime, Councillor Keith Barrow said.

He made his comments at a meeting attended by about 40 people in Market Drayton last night.

He revealed reduced charges for town centre workers, clearer signage for blue badge holders and limited free parking for events and late night shopping could all be in the pipeline.

But he said: “There are things we can do, but if you say to me ‘don’t charge for parking,’ it’s not going to happen.”

Invited residents and traders met at the Festival Drayton Centre to quiz Councillor Barrow, cabinet member for transport, Councillor Simon Jones, and North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson about the issue.

The meeting was organised by resident and trader Sharon Fox-Byrne amid growing disquiet over the effect parking charges were having on the town’s economic fortunes.

She said: “We all have concerns about parking charges in Market Drayton and we hope Shropshire Council will look at the problems we’re having and come to a conclusion as to what to do to help us.

“We’ve had numerous people who have sent letters to the local newspaper saying they have been charged and that they won’t be coming to our town again.”

A survey of businesses conducted by Market Drayton Chamber of Trade and unveiled at the meeting showed sales between April and June this year to be down as much as 35 per cent compared to last year.

New charges were introduced in north Shropshire towns starting in April.

John Cushing, a Market Drayton businessman, said: “We’re driving the cars out of the car parks, onto the streets, and driving the small businesses out of the town.”

Christina Yianna, whose husband Pete runs a takeaway in Market Drayton, said: “You’re chasing people out of the town and kicking our town when it’s down.”

Mr Paterson blamed the former district and county councils for ‘outdated ideas’ that have driven cars out of market towns.

He said: “Let’s put these market towns back to the way they were when people built them where motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, disabled people and children can use the significant amount of space outside our shops.”

At the meeting Councillor Barrow agreed Shropshire Council would consider ways of helping businesses who believe the charges are to blame for falling sales.

But he ruled out any return to free parking after it was revealed that 60,634 vehicles had used Market Drayton’s four pay-and-display car parks between April and June this year, compared to 60,361 in 2010.