Drayton could lose only free car park under new proposals

Currently Newport Road, close to Market Drayton swimming pool, is free.

But under proposals by Shropshire Council, the authority want to introduce a 30p an hour charge.

Residents and business owners have expressed their concerns about the plans.

Nigel Young said: "I frequently ‘pop’ into town to pick up a few things and take advantage of the 15 minute free parking. Take that away and I will not bother. All of these changes will have a dramatic impact on the town."

Olly Sean Allcock added: "What an absolute joke. I actually don't mind the way it is now in town but removing the 15 minutes free is unbelievably stupid."

Laura Rebecca Verrill said: "You only have to look at Market Drayton and what the parking charge has done for that town! Disgusting."

And Carol Gadd said: "Absolutely ridiculous. Hardly any shops to choose from in Market Drayton as it is. Start charging even more for car parking and it's obvious to anyone with a brain cell that it will impact on the few shops that are struggling to remain open."

Currently motorists can park for free from 6pm to 8am across the county in designated bays but this will change to 8pm to 9am.

Any surplus generated from the new proposals would be put towards a number of new parking developments, including the replacement of the existing payment machines to enable payment by card, contactless payments, and payment by mobile phone.

Last month several vehicles, believed to be owned by the same person, had to be seized by police from the car park.

It came weeks after motorists claimed they are being forced to abandon their cars on grass verges and pavements because of a lack of parking at the car park.

Users of the town's swimming pool said it can be a "nightmare" trying to find anywhere to park due to people using the free car park for shopping trips into town and to park for work.

Elsewhere in the town Market Drayton's short-stay car parks on Frogmore Road and Queen Street currently charge 50p for one hour, 90p for two hours and £1.30 for a maximum stay of three hours.

Under the new proposals motorists will pay 50p per hour and be allowed to park without a maximum stay limit.

Towers Lawn car park which is currently 10p for two hours, 50p for four hours, £1 four six hours and £1.80 for 10 hours, would increase to 30p per hour.

The popular 'pop and shop' scheme, which allows motorists to park for a maximum of 15 minutes for free would be abolished, instead leaving just 10 minutes for the most urgent of tasks.

At a meeting of the cabinet next week, members will be asked to rubber stamp a 10-week public consultation. If cabinet members give the go-ahead, a 10 week consultation will open on July 22.