Parking price hike risks widening gap between Oswestry and Shrewsbury, councillor warns

An Oswestry councillor has raised concerns over proposed increases to parking charges across Shropshire and urged residents to take part in a public consultation on the plans.

Shropshire Council’s proposals, which were approved by cabinet to go forward for consultation earlier this week, would see changes to parking charges in several towns across the county.

In Shrewsbury, on-street parking charges could increase by more than £3 an hour, while the hourly charge at Frankwell car park would fall from £1.20 to £1.

Other towns would also see changes, with some charges in Ludlow increasing while those in Much Wenlock and Bridgnorth could decrease.

At the Festival car park in Oswestry, the hourly charge is proposed to rise by 40 per cent to £2.

Shropshire Council says the proposals are intended to improve the availability and turnover of the most centrally located parking spaces, encourage longer-stay users to use less central and lower-cost car parks, and support greater use of public transport, park and ride, walking and cycling where practical alternatives are available.

However, Oswestry South councillor Duncan Kerr has questioned the impact of the proposed increase in Oswestry, arguing that it could add to congestion and widen what he sees as a gap in public investment between the town and Shrewsbury.

Councillor Kerr argued that Shrewsbury already benefited from better public transport connections and significant investment from the council and Government.

“Shrewsbury already has the best bus and train services in the county, and has seen huge investment by the council and Government over the last decade,” he said, pointing to the resurfacing of Pride Hill, the station gyratory and the new riverside park.

“To add insult to injury the money raised by Shropshire Council in these new charges will be used to provide a Sunday bus service in Shrewsbury.

“Oswestry has no Sunday bus services and they can't find the money for a shuttle bus to the station at Gobowen.”

He said the proposals risked increasing the disparity between the towns and called on the council to give greater consideration to Oswestry.

“Oswestry is the second town in Shropshire and it is about time the administration started to help reduce, rather than increase, the gulf between public investment here and in Shrewsbury.”

Councillor Kerr urged residents who were concerned about the proposed changes to make their views known through the consultation.