Price rises confirmed for Shropshire Council car parks - here's when and why
Shropshire Council has confirmed its planned changes to parking charges across the county - coming into effect soon.
Changes to charges for the authority's car parks were unveiled as far back as April last year, by the previous Conservative administration.
But, despite being approved by the Tory cabinet in December last year, they were not implemented before the Conservatives were voted out in May.
The new Liberal Democrat administration has now moved to put the changes in place - although it has altered and cut back on some of the initial plans.
It means that there will be rises in charges for some of the council's car parks and on-street parking areas from November 3.
But the authority has also stressed that car parks which are currently free on Sunday and bank holidays will remain so - a departure from the initial proposal.
It means that Sunday parking will remain free in Abbey Foregate and Frankwell in Shrewsbury, as well as in a number of individual car parks in Ludlow, Bridgnorth, Oswestry, Church Stretton, Much Wenlock, Ellesmere, Wem, Whitchurch, Prees and Market Drayton.
A statement from the council said: "It will be the first time charges have risen since 2022, and the additional funding generated will be used to maintain existing car parks, support local road improvements, and contribute to public transport services. This means that general council funds can be focused on protecting other essential services."
Prices were last raised in 2022, and the council said: "Since the last price review in 2022, the impact of inflation has significantly increased the costs associated with the operation, maintenance, and improvement of Shropshire’s car parks, highways and public transport services."
Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for transport and economic growth, said: “These measures are necessary to provide additional revenue which will be directly reinvested into maintenance and improvements to our transport services and support local road improvements. This will allow general council funds to be focused on protecting other essential services.
“The transport funding that Shropshire Council is receiving from the Government is not keeping track with costs, so we must look to other sources to support stretched budgets.
“An increase in parking charges was part of the budget agreed by the last council at the start of this year, but our financial emergency means that we must now introduce these changes.
“Council officers have worked hard to limit the rise, and we have chosen not to change the hours of operation or remove the charging cap as proposed by the previous administration. With the majority of the changes impacting Shrewsbury, we are pleased that we were able to improve the frequency of the park-and-ride at the start of the summer. At £2 for a return ticket, with a bus every 12 minutes at peak times, this is an affordable and practical alternative to town centre parking.
“The new charges will also ensure that parking provision remains sustainable and self-financing, reducing any burden on the council’s budget.”
The council statement added: "The increase aligns with the objectives of Shropshire’s emerging Local Transport Plan, which seeks to encourage sustainable travel choices and reduce congestion in town centres. By ensuring that parking charges more accurately reflect the true cost of provision, the council can better manage demand, promote turnover of spaces, and support the use of alternative modes of transport, such as park-and-ride services.
"There is no extension to charging hours or days, so Bands 4 and 5 remain free on Sundays and bank holidays.
"The new charges will take effect on November 3, 2025, with the statutory notice due to be published on October 8."
A full list of the charges can be seen online.
At a snapshot:
Shrewsbury on-street parking (band 1) will rise from £2.80 an hour to £3.60 an hour.
Parking in band 2 car parks will rise from £2 an hour to £2.80 an hour - and will be £1.40 per hour on Sundays and bank holidays.
Parking in band 3 car parks will rise from £1.20 an hour to £1.40 an hour - 70p/hour on Sundays and bank holidays.
Parking in band 4 car parks will rise from 80p an hour to £1.20 an hour - and remain free on Sundays and bank holidays.
Parking in band 5 car parks will rise from 60p an hour to 70p an hour - and remain free on Sundays and bank holidays.
There will no increase for band 6 car parks to support the viability of smaller town centres.
Band 7 car parks will remain free.
The council said the increase is justified by "the need to manage very high demand and ensure turnover in the most sought-after spaces, as well as the significantly higher costs of maintaining and enforcing on-street parking in busy urban environments".
It added: "The strategic aim is to encourage short stays and promote use of alternative transport or peripheral car parks for longer visits."
Shrewsbury’s Raven Meadows multi-storey car park will be £2.40 an hour - with a £2.40 fixed fee on Sundays and bank holidays.
The council has also decided not to remove the eight-hour charging cap where this applies, specifically in bands 4 and 5 - In Shrewsbury this includes Frankwell Main, Frankwell Quay, Shirehall Overflow and Abbey Foregate.
In bands 4 and 5, where they apply, the weekly tickets and resident and season tickets will remain.
The council also highlighted that Shrewsbury’s park-and-ride service operates every 12 minutes Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm, and from 10am to 4pm on Saturdays.
A standard return fare is £2, concessions are £1 and children under 16 are free. A four-week saver ticket is available for £32 per person.
