Calls for more car parking are facing backlash from a local sustainability group.
It comes after Councillor Andy Boddington, who represents Ludlow North, said Ludlow town centre does not have enough car parking.
"There is not enough car parking in the town centre to accommodate all the visitors that want to come to Ludlow," said Coun Boddington.
But Philip Adams, chairman of Ludlow 21, a sustainability charity, argues that boosting parking in town would undermine efforts to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment.
"Councillor Boddington was quite right to say that demand for buses in Shropshire is being missed.
"He was right, too, to advocate a publicly controlled and coherent public transport network.
"He was right again to say that fragmented services, fares and information is the reason why demand is being missed.
"But he is quite wrong to call for more parking in Ludlow.
"Evidence from successful town centres of Ludlow’s size is that where people are free from traffic they both purchase more goods and services and stay longer because they can enjoy moving around on foot and meeting others in peace," said Mr Adams.
Ludlow 21 argues that using the park and ride is cheaper and puts visitors closer to the town centre.
"In Ludlow town centre it’s not a pleasant experience because there is a continuous stream of cars that do not need to be there.
"Despite what shopkeepers sometimes say, people do not look into shop windows in cars but as pedestrians."
Mr Adams' response follows Coun Boddington's call for a Shropshire “Sheep Network” – inspired by Manchester’s Bee Network, which would bring all routes, fares, and information under a single, publicly controlled system.
"Rural buses must be reimagined as a coherent network that attracts passengers and fare income, rather than as isolated routes kept alive by subsidy," said Coun Boddington.
"In Shropshire, which has more sheep than people, we need a Sheep Network that can deliver the change integrated bus networks are bringing to cities such as Manchester."
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