CHANGES to the parking regime in Ludlow will go out for consultation.

The consultation is being made nearly a year after controversial changes to parking charges and new rules in the town.

A review was promised 12 months after the new parking regulations were introduced in November 2018.

The consultation proposes a number of changes including alterations of the zones that would move residents of College Street from the Blue Zone into the Red Zone.

There would be two on-street residents parking permits for each property and a digital on-street permit for each holiday let in the town.

A new way of capping the number of season and resident permits that can be used in the Galdeford car park would also be introduced.

Andy Boddington says that the changes are welcome but if agreed would be unlikely to the introduced until spring 2020.

“Many residents have petitioned me asking for more than one on-street permit for each residential property in the Red Zone – the core of the town centre,” said Mr Boddington.

“I agree there must be flexibility and support Shropshire Council’s plans to introduce up to two permits for each residence. But first the council must conduct a survey of residents. Only if 51 per cent or more respondents agree can the change be approved.

“Residents on College Street and College Court are currently located in the Blue Zone. They want to be transferred to the Red Zone. The residents, who are often elderly, currently have to park on the Linney and carry their shopping up the steep slope of Upper Linney.

“Moving the residents into the Red Zone will help these residents and I fully support the change.

“Holiday let owners in Ludlow have campaigned for on-street parking permits for their guests. Shropshire Council has now agreed to this, subject to consultation. One on-street permit will be allowed for each holiday let property at the same £100 fee paid by residents. Holiday let permits will not include the 200-hour visitor parking entitlement allocated with a resident’s permit.

“Currently, the council places a limit on the number of residents permits issued for the Galdeford car park. It uses a separate limit for daytime season tickets. The council proposes to pool these into a single quota to increase flexibility.

“Those parking on-street without a permit will be able to pay by phone in the future. Currently this option is only available in car parks.”

Digital permits are currently subject to a 10 pence surcharge. This outdated charge for paying cashless will be removed.

When the changes to parking were first suggested in the summer of 2018 there was a storm of protest that resulted in some concessions. It has been claimed that the changes and in particular a tougher approach to ‘pop and shop’ has hit trade in the town centre and comes on top of difficult trading conditions.