MORE than three months after the introduction of the new £1 coin, they still cannot be used in car parks run by Shropshire Council in Ludlow.

Shropshire Council say that it is hoped that the work will be done by the end of July.

However, car parks in Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth and Much Wenlock have been converted.

“We’re waiting for our supplier to convert the remaining machines,” say Shropshire Council

“Unfortunately we’re not the only council in the country waiting for this work to be done and, as such, are in a queue. However, the outstanding machine conversions are expected to be completed by the end of this month (July 2017).

“We appreciate that this is frustrating for many people and apologise for any inconvenience caused. However, this work will soon be complete and we thank people for their patience while it is carried out.

“In the meantime, all of our pay-and-display parking machines will accept all other denominations of UK coins.”

The council say that its wardens are mindful that people may take a little time to get a ticket if they have to try to find one of the old coins.

But Andy Boddington, Shropshire councillor for Ludlow North says this is not good enough and another reason why the car parks in the town should be taken over by Ludlow Town Council.

“If I ever obtain an old one pound coin these days, I pocket it,” said Andy Boddington.

“This is not out of nostalgia but in the hope of helping a desperate visitor who finds that Shropshire Council’s parking machines don’t take the new coins here in Ludlow.”

Andy Boddington added that he cannot understand why other towns in the county have had their parking machines converted but not Ludlow.

"The council’s supplier converts the machines in three towns but clears off before converting the rest,” he said.

“What sort of contract does the council have with the supplier? And what priorities did it give the contractor?

“It’s high time that Ludlow’s car parks were transferred to Ludlow Town Council. Then if there are problems like the failure to convert parking machines, it’s our own fault, not another bureaucratic failure in an increasingly remote Shirehall.

"Oswestry runs its own car parks. We should do the same.”