BUSINESS owners and councillors in Market Drayton have spoken of their frustration after Shirehall bosses vowed controversial parking charges are ‘here to stay’ despite fears they are harming trade.
Both the town mayor and independent retailers said they were disappointed but not surprised at an announcement this week that the charges will not be scrapped.
However, Shropshire Council did confirm it will review other aspects of the charges, like time limits and Sunday charging, in April.
Russell Taylor, who owns Lloyd’s Interiors in Cheshire Street, said: “I think Shropshire Council has been quite short-sighted with the parking charges in Market Drayton.
“We are sandwiched between both Newport and Nantwich. Newport is free to park while there is much greater choice in Nantwich.
“Something should have been done to help the traders and I think it’s naive of the council to think they couldn’t make up the money in other ways.
“We’ve had to diversify since the charges were introduced because the footfall dropped dramatically.”
Stewart Harris, from HMS Jewellery, in Stafford Street, added: “It was inevitable that the charges would stay. Market Drayton was the first to have the charges and there was no way we were going to be let off the hook. Suggestions have been put forward on how to change things. One idea was to make parking free after 4pm or to have a car park with barriers that allowed the first two hours to be free.
“There seems nothing else left to do other than accept them.”
The mayor of Market Drayton, Councillor Kath Brown, added: ““I really don’t agree with having charges over the weekend. We need to encourage people into the town and free parking over the weekend would do that.”
On Monday, Councillor Simon Jones, Shropshire Council’s portfolio holder for parking charges, told the Wem and Shawbury Local Joint Committee meeting in Wem that the parking charges across north Shropshire are to remain.
He said: “Car parking charges are here to stay. They will not be scrapped anywhere in Shropshire.”
Councillors and traders at the meeting greeted news of the review but said they would still rather see the charges scrapped.
By Joseph Masi