Parking charges could change in Oswestry
Changes to Oswestry's car park charges could impact on the money the town council has to spend during the year, some councillors fear.
However initial figures put together for members of the town council's finance and general purposes committee show there could be gains and losses in the budget.
Green Party members have called for the town council to go to public consultation over allowing free parking from 6pm in Oswestry three main car parks.
They also want to rescind the one-hour parking charge and replace it with with an 80p charge for the first two hours in all the town council's car parks.
Putting the motion Councillor Duncan Kerr said such a scheme would boost the evening economy and encourage shoppers to stay longer in the town.
"Our town centres could all do with a bit of help at the moment," he said. "As a town council, one thing that we can do is look at our car park charges."
Councillor Mike Coppock, a retailer in the town centre, said he felt the one hour ticket put pressure on shoppers.
"We see it almost daily, shoppers rushing back to get to their car before their ticket runs out," he said.
Mayor Councillor Sandy Best, said her fear was the effect that the changes in the charges would have on the council budget.
"I can not see that making overnight parking free will bring more tourists into the town in the evening," she said.
Free
Councillor Jay Moore said the public may not realise that the car parks brought in a lot of money that was then spent on council services.
"I don't want to start eroding this income," he said.
Councillors were given what council officers called a 'rough guide' of what could happen if changes were made.
Assistant town clerk, Arren Roberts, said that making the car parks free after 6pm could cost in the region of £11,000 a year.
Two figures were given for removing the one our tariff.
Mr Roberts said: "If we sold the same number of tickets for 0-2 hours at 80p there could be a £50,000 potential extra income. If the minimum tariff was 70p for up to two hours that could mean a potential fall in income of £8,000.
He said the council's current policy of having a one hour parking fee meant many shoppers rushed to the one shop they needed to go to and rushed straight back to their car before the hour was up.
"If we rescinded the one-hour tariff and replaced with with 80p for two hours then shoppers would be able to relax. They might well go into another shop, or stay in town for a cup of coffee," he added.
Councillors agree to debate the idea further next week.
