Sunday is added to town Park and Ride in Ludlow
Plans are being made to run a Sunday Park and Ride service in Ludlow for the first time – using cash raised from new controversial parking charges.
The congestion-busting scheme could be extended as it was revealed that Shropshire Council is making £4.5 million a year from car parking charges across the county.
Martin Taylor-Smith, a former transport cabinet member who stood for re-election to Shropshire Council in yesterday's voting, said the funds were crucial for tackling potholes and subsidising bus services and public transport.
He said without the cash the money would have to be met by the taxpayer – and claimed it could lead to a four per cent increase in council tax.
Mr Taylor-Smith, who was seeking re-election to the Ludlow South seat, was speaking after traders in Ludlow claimed almost 5,000 people had signed petitions calling for council chiefs to scrap Sunday car parking charges in the town.
Before Shropshire Council brought in changes in January, visitors were able to park for free in on-street spaces on Sundays.
On-street charges are now the same as in the week – £2.20 for up to three hours and £1.10 for up to two – while charges for car parks including Castle Square and Smithfield are half price.
Rai Fisher, who runs furniture and tapestry store Roses & Fishes in Broad Street, said it was killing trade and putting people off shopping in the town centre.
But Mr Taylor-Smith said charges were just one small part of a five-point package designed to ease congestion and boost trade in the town centre.
He said: "We have introduced half-price off-street parking on Sundays, we have brought in new permits for market traders to try and free up on-street spaces, and yes, one small part of it is that we have introduced on-street charges on Sunday at the same level as in the week.
"The revenue from this will be used to subsidise the Park and Ride service, and another part of our plan is to bring that in on a Sunday from the summer.
"We want to buy newer buses, again using the money from parking. The problem we have in Ludlow is that around 60 per cent of the people who use the Park and Ride use free bus passes.
"It cannot fund itself, it is unsustainable without the cash from car parking.
"If we didn't have this money coming in, and it's important to note that the council gets £4.5 million a year across the county, then that money would have to be found from the council tax."
It costs 95p per day for a return ticket on the Park and Ride for adults and 50p for under 16s.
