Shropshire Star

Work starts on installing free car park ticket machines in Newport

Work was beginning today on installing a free parking ticket machine on a Newport car park.

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Newport's Stafford Street Car Park. Photo: Google StreetView

Newport Town Council says it hopes the work will improve the turnover of cars at Stafford Street car park, bringing more people in the town and providing more opportunity to park.

The car park, which will only partly be converted to short stay, will remain open throughout these works but there will be some localised traffic management in place.

The majority of the work will take place Monday to Friday during the daytime with the exception of the road marking work which will take place on November 24.

Lines will be red in colour to help differentiate the two types of space.

Councillor Thomas Janke, the town council's community safety chairman, said he was delighted with the installation of the new parking machines.

“It is a well known fact that one of Newport’s biggest issues to residents is parking availability.

"I’m delighted these parking machines are set to be installed. I’m sure they’ll go a long way to helping with the freeing up parking spaces for residents and visitors alike and shows that we are serious about tackling the parking issues in our town.

"Like Wellington, these machines will issues tickets for three hours of free parking, by which time you are expected to vacate the space."

Wellington has had some success with its conversion to free parking tickets. Several of its car parks now require tickets, and that is helping to provide spaces.

But earlier this month the town's mayor, Councillor Anthony Lowe, said it was still a complex issue for the town.

He said motorists are still taking advantage of other car parks – sometimes leaving their vehicle for days.

"They come at 6am or 7am and know they can park for free," he said. "They go and get on their trains to go to Birmingham or London, and sometimes they go for several days. They don't pay any money into Wellington."