Town’s car park charges “are utter madness” says Mayor

The Mayor of Much Wenlock has described the decision to make prices in one of the town’s car parks the same as a popular one in Shrewsbury as “complete and utter madness”.

It now costs £1.20 an hour to leave your vehicle in the nine-space Back Lane car park between 8am and 6pm Monday to Saturday after increases came into force on Monday (November 3) – the first time it has happpened since 2022.

However, it also costs the same amount to park in any of the three car parks in Frankwell, Shrewsbury, including the main site that has 650 spaces.

That is despite Much Wenlock only having a population of 2,605 according to the 2021 Census, compared to 70,560 who live in Shrewsbury.

“It does really bother me that they compare Back Lane car park as the same level as Frankwell in Shrewsbury, which is complete and utter madness,” said Councillor Dan Thomas, the Mayor of Much Wenlock, who is also the leader of the Conservative group in Shropshire.

“Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth have resident parking permits, which are paid for and monitored. We haven’t introduced that in Much Wenlock, which I think is the right thing.  But this isn’t a consultation, it’s a notification.

“In the previous one [in 2022], we were actually invited to respond. Yes, we weren’t listened to, but there was at least a consultation process. Whereas this time, you just have the notification.”

The town clerk, Trudi Barrett, asked if it would be fair to say that a consultation process would have cost money, and what Shropshire Council is trying to do is increase its income and save money.

“And they would have had to justify the consultation,” she said.

The leader of Shropshire Council, Councillor Heather Kidd, was at Much Wenlock Town Council’s meeting on Thursday (November 6).

Councillor Cherie Whiteman told her that residents are frustated that many people park on the street in some parts of the town.

“Visitors come to town, they don’t park in car parks, they park on the street,” she said.

“So people can’t go out on a Friday or Saturday.”

Councillor Thomas added: “In 2021, when I was elected, there were 21 resident permits across the town.

“There is now nine because the price has gone up by nearly 50 per cent. So people are actually cancelling their permits, meaning overall Shropshire Council has lost money.”

In response, Councillor Kidd said: “Parking charges across the county have not been put up for three years, so there was a gap in the budget.

“[Fees have gone up] because we are desperate for money and we have to prove to the Government that ‘we’ve done this’. But that’s pending a proper review.

“We do need to review all of these. It shouldn’t be coupled with Frankwell and [other] places.

“You will all be asked to give evidence so we can put something sensible in place. There are some extroadinary charges in some places, so it’s all part of a bigger picture. And you’re right, there are some people who just park on the street, which is not what exactly we need.

“So there is some work we have to do in some towns and parishes to make sure we understand the issues and really take an important stance around your views. I think ‘consultation’ has a really bad name, because it should involve listening, and it hasn’t been.”