From Monday, the parking regime changes in Ludlow. A few charges are lower but mostly people will pay more on street and in central car parks. The council decided to issue its press release at midday on Wednesday, knowing full well it was too late for the Ludlow Advertiser and South Shropshire Journal. Issuing a press release just days before a major change is introduced is at best bad management. In practice, it will be a pop, shop and fine jamboree from Monday.
The new parking charges are largely unwelcome. But they are coming in on Monday. But the big thing shoppers will not know about is that pop and shop is being reduced from 15 minutes to five minutes. People parking in car parks or planning to stop longer than a few minutes on street will be told what to pay by the payment machines. But they will need to spot the sign that says that pop and shop has changed.
Pop and shop was once one of Shropshire Council’s flagship policies. It allowed shoppers to park for 15 minutes without charge. It has been very popular. Most people didn’t know that 15 minutes actually meant 15 plus ten minutes due to the legal obligation for a ten minute grace period after a parking period expires. Most people began to sweat about receiving a penalty charge notice after 15 minutes.
From Monday, people popping and shopping will not get told the regime has changed unless they see the new signs. Who has time to read signs when they are rushing into the butchers, bakers and grabbing a bunch of carrots.
From Monday, people shopping and going to the bank will sweat after five minutes. There will still be a ten minute grace period while a yellow vested Shropshire Council officer hovers around hoping to slap penalty charge notice. This is nerve wracking. One second over fifteen minutes and Shropshire Council’s loss making parking enforcement service will slap a ticket on your car.
Shropshire Council messed up the publicity in Ludlow. So, I asked the council leadership to issue warning notices rather than penalty charge notices for those stopping 15+10 rather than 5+10 between 19 to 25 November. That request was refused. “We have appropriately publicised the changes” is the formal response.
Nonsense. Shirehall has no clue how distant it is from communities in South Shropshire. It does not realise that for all its protestations it has not got the message about the new parking regime in Ludlow out to the community.
So, welcome to Shropshire Council’s pop, shop and fine jamboree. Fines galore.
This will have a chilling effect on the economy our town. I have heard from so many people that say once fined in Ludlow, never returning. I can’t blame them.
“Appropriately publicised”? Pardon? This is the first I’ve heard about pop and stop changing. And if there was publicity in Galdeford, I certainly didn’t notice it whilst I was paying on Saturday.
Andy I get the distinct impression that no one listens / listened but really appreciate your strong efforts to help us mere mortals in Ludlow.
Only time will tell!
Thank you chap.
Residents. Visitors scratchcards are no longer available. Households with a residents’ permit will get a free allowance of 200 hours a year for on street parking. This is digital, which means that each visitor must be registered online along with the period for which they will be on-street.
THIS was never mentioned by anyone during recent protests. So residents will now have to know in advance when visitors might decide to come and see them?. Will we need to have a list of all our friends/ relations car registrations? Can this be registered through the ‘app’. When unexpected visitors turn up in the doorstep? What if you don’t know how long your visitor might stay? Will you be able to top up 5 mins before predicted time periods run out and will the Taffic Wardens receive these top ups immediately. A recipe for chaos.
Shropshire Council have hit a new low in dissing their taxpayers and making their lives as difficult as possible. And charging them double for the privelage.