Shirehall is putting forward proposals to change the parking regime across the county. It proposals will lower some costs and significantly raise others. According to the council leader Peter Nutting, the aim is to raise more than £2 million to pay for cash-strapped services. That’s on top of the £2.4 million the council already makes across the county.
The proposals don’t work for Ludlow. The last day to respond is 17 October, just ten days from now.
The council has so far recieved 1,800 responses to its proposals.
There are four online response surveys. Many people have found these difficult to use, especially as the council has not produced a summary for each locality. You may find it easier to email your response to tellus@shropshire.gov.uk (you might also wish to copy me in at andy@andybodders.co.uk).
Here is a summary of the main implications for Ludlow.
Sunday parking will cost the same as the other six days. Currently Sundays are half price.
Free parking in Ludlow’s three car parks will begin later in the evening – at 8pm instead of 6pm. It will end at 9am in the morning instead of 8am.
Grace period. The fifteen minutes free “pop and shop” period will be withdrawn.
Time limits. People will be allowed to park on the streets or in the car parks for as long as they have a valid ticket.
Visitors and shoppers will pay £2 an hour to park on central Ludlow streets, up from £0.70 an hour now, with no limit to the length of stay.
Residents will pay £100 a year to park on the street in the red and blue zones, up from £50.
Residents season tickets. Local people will be entitled to buy an annual season ticket allowing them to leave their vehicle in the car parks all day, every day. Or they can buy a more restricted ticket for evenings and weekends only. Evenings will begin at 4pm.
Season tickets for off street car parks will be on a monthly, quarterly, six-month and yearly basis.
Prices. Shropshire Council is consulting on two pricing options. Option 2 will cost up to 25% more than Option 1.
Castle Street car park charges will double from £0.50 an hour to £1.00. There will be no limit on how long vehicles can park (currently the limit is four hours). A season ticket allowing 24-hour parking, seven days a week will cost either £116.00 or £133.33 a month. A residents’ season ticket will allow parking without limit for either £640.00 or £800.00 a year. An evening and weekend residents’ ticket will cost £320.00 or £480.00.
Smithfield car park. Short-term parking will be cheaper than at present but long-term parking will be more expensive. Currently it costs £2.00 for four hours. The council is suggesting that this is cut to £1.20 – £0.30 an hour. Ten hours will cost £3.00, rather than the £2.00 charged at present. A season ticket allowing 24-hour parking, seven days a week will cost either £34.80 or £40.00 a month. A residents’ season ticket will allow parking without limit for either £192.00 or £240.00 a year. An evening and weekend residents’ ticket will cost £96.00 or £144.00.
Upper Galdeford Zone A. The top deck will cost £0.50 an hour, cheaper than at present. A season ticket allowing 24-hour parking, seven days a week will cost either £58.00 or £66.67 a month. A residents’ season ticket will allow parking without limit for either £320.00 or £400.00 a year. An evening and weekend residents’ ticket will cost £160.00 or £240.00.
Upper Galdeford Zone B. The lower decks will cost £0.30 an hour. A season ticket allowing 24-hour parking, seven days a week will cost either £34.80 or £40.00 a month. A residents’ season ticket will allow parking without limit for either £192.00 or £240.00 a year. An evening and weekend residents’ ticket will cost £96.00 or £144.00.
Parking waivers allow tradespeople to park their vehicles for up to one day in a car park, on-street parking area or a restricted parking area while they carry out work. There are currently two types of waiver costing £10 or £15 a day. A new unified waiver will cost £20 a day.
Read more blogs on the parking proposals.