Call to scrap Shrewsbury pay and display machines

Business leaders in Shrewsbury today called for pay-and-display machines to be scrapped at the town's car parks in favour of pay-on-exit barriers.

They say the pay-on-exit option would provide shoppers with more flexibility and would mean they would not have to rush back to their vehicles before their ticket ran out.

Encouraging shoppers to stay longer in the town is a priority for struggling traders who say the town is still in a "fragile" state.

The call comes after a meeting last week at which council and business leaders agreed to work together to help promote the town and encourage people to visit it.

This month Shropshire Council scrapped plans to increase parking charges for a second time this year after furious traders hit out at the proposals.

Simon Airey, president of Shrewsbury Business Cha-mber, said installing pay-on-exit parking barriers would allow people to leave when they wanted to rather than rushing if their ticket was running out.

He said: "Things are very fragile at the moment. The surface car parks need to be restructured so people pay on exit rather than worry for the last 15 minutes about whether they will get a ticket."

John Hall, from Shop in the Loop, said such a move was important to help traders.

He said: "Pay-on-exit would be fantastic and is probably top of the list in terms of what we think should happen. They are also talking about reducing charges for particular events which would be helpful."

Business leaders at last week's meeting said they would look at offering parking refunds if customers buy in their stores and look at how shops can stay open longer in the town centre.