Motorists across Shropshire will be digging deeper into their pockets from today, 3 November, as Shropshire Council implements a rise in parking charges across selected car parks and on-street bays.
The council has confirmed that while the charges are rising, the existing concession of free parking on Sundays and bank holidays will be maintained in car parks where it is already offered, an important point for shoppers and visitors.
The move is the first stage of a broader parking review approved by the council’s Cabinet back in December 2024. The Council has stated that the extra revenue generated is essential and will be reinvested directly into maintaining existing car parks, supporting local road improvements, and boosting public transport services. The overarching aim is to relieve pressure on general council funds, allowing them to be focused on protecting other essential services amidst a difficult period of financial constraint.
Financial Necessity Drives Change
Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for transport and economic growth, defended the decision, citing financial pressures.
“These measures are necessary to provide additional revenue which will be directly reinvested into maintenance and improvements to our transport services and support local road improvements,” said Councillor Wilson. “This will allow general council funds to be focused on protecting other essential services.”
He stressed that government transport funding is “not keeping track with costs,” forcing the council to look to other sources to support stretched budgets.
“An increase in parking charges was part of the budget agreed by the last Council at the start of this year, but our financial emergency means that we must now introduce these changes,” he added.
Councillor Wilson confirmed that officers had worked hard to limit the rise, and they have chosen not to change the hours of operation or remove the charging cap as proposed by the previous administration.
Specific Tariff Increases
The new charges see the most significant hikes in Shrewsbury.
Shrewsbury on-street parking (Band 1) rises sharply from £2.80 per hour to £3.60 per hour. The Council justifies this by the need to manage very high demand and ensure turnover in the most sought-after spaces, alongside the significantly higher costs of maintaining and enforcing on-street parking in busy urban environments.
Shrewsbury’s Raven Meadows multi-storey car park will now cost £2.40 per hour, with a fixed fee of £2.40 also applying on Sundays and bank holidays.
Parking in Band 2 car parks will increase from £2.00 per hour to £2.80 per hour, with a Sunday and bank holiday rate of £1.40 per hour.
Band 3 car parks will rise from £1.20 per hour to £1.40 per hour, with a Sunday and bank holiday rate of 70p per hour.
Band 4 car parks will increase from 80p per hour to £1.20 per hour, but will remain free on Sundays and bank holidays.
Band 5 car parks will see a small rise from 60p per hour to 70p per hour, and will also remain free on Sundays and bank holidays.
Crucially, there will be no increase for Band 6 car parks to support the viability of smaller town centres, and Band 7 car parks will remain free.
Promoting Sustainable Travel
The price increase is directly linked to Shropshire’s emerging Local Transport Plan, which aims to reduce town centre congestion by encouraging more sustainable travel.
To help mitigate the impact on drivers, the Council is actively promoting the Shrewsbury Park & Ride service as a viable alternative.
Councillor Wilson highlighted the service’s improved frequency of a bus every 12 minutes at peak times and an “affordable and practical” return ticket price of just £2.
The changes legally come into effect today, 3 November 2025, following the publication of the statutory notice in October.
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