£100,000 investment in car park approved

A major town centre car park is set for a £100,000 investment which will modernise the way drivers access the facility.

Blackpool Council is spending the money to update the Talbot Road multi-storey car park because its current chip coin payment system is outdated.

HUB Parking Technology has been appointed to install and operate the new system including provision of an ANPR (automated number plate recognition) barrier system, access system and payment terminals.

The company already operates the system used at the Central Multi-Storey Car Park which opened in Blackpool last May, where the ANPR system reads a registration plate on entrance and raises the barrier (without a ticket).

Before returning to their car motorists then enter their registration number onto the payment machine, make the payment and the exit barrier will recognise they have paid.

A council report says the existing system at the Talbot Road Multi-Storey, which uses chip coins, reaches the end of its life on May 31.

It says:  “The existing system is functional currently but there is no maintenance provision in force due to all components being end of life.”

Following consideration of a number of options, the council decided extending the existing HUB system at Central Multi-Storey was “the most cost effective option” and will also make parking enforcement more efficient.

Talbot Road car park currently has 610 spaces with 284 staff permit holders and 59 agency permits, and is also the main car park for guests at the Holiday Inn,  as well as for customers at Mr Basrai’s buffet restaurant and the Gym Group which are in the same building and use of a discounted tariff scheme.

The car park was built in the 1930s and had been due to be demolished before the council decided instead to refurbish it as part of the first phase of the £350m Talbot Gateway regeneration scheme, with it re-opening in 2013 following investment.

Further new multi storey car parks are expected to be provided in the town centre including proposals for a development on the site of the former Syndicate nightclub on Church Street.