Town centre parking fees to rise

Telford Shopping Centre parking fees will go up from Monday by between 10p and £1, its new owners said today. They insist the charges are still among the most competitive in Shropshire.

Hark and Apollo, which bought the centre last June for £450 million, also say car crime has been significantly reduced through better lighting, security patrols and CCTV cameras.

It has just completed the first full review of parking tariffs since the spring of 2006.

In all car parks at the centre, it will mean an extra 10p on one and two-hour stays and an extra 20p for three-hour stays.

Charges for stays of more than three hours will go up by 50p at long-stay car parks and £1 at short-stay car parks.

Meanwhile, centre bosses have announced the conclusion of a long-term improvement programme for car park security.

Since receiving the "Park Mark", the British Parking Association's secure parking award, on all car parks for the last five years, the centre has continued to invest in improved lighting, dedicated security patrols and CCTV.

Car parks manager Glynn Morrow said all this had led to no cases of car crime in the Cherry Pink and Yellow Beech car parks in 2007, while all other car parks in the centre had proved more secure than the national average.

The new short-stay tariffs from Monday will be 50p (unchanged) for 30 minutes, £1.10 for an hour, £1.60 for two hours, £2.20 for three hours and £6 for over three hours. Long-stay car park charges are 50p, £1.10, £1.60, £2,20 and £3 respectively.

Hark and Apollo hopes to transform Telford Shopping Centre with a £1 billion scheme.