13.06.12
More parking for Manchester Piccadilly
Manchester Piccadilly will soon see its station car park extended, to cope with increased demand.
Network Rail is creating 263 extra car spaces, bringing the total parking up to 855 spaces. The new building will use pre-cast concrete before being clad in structural steel, a low-maintenance material that does not require painting or cleaning.
SCC Ltd won the contract, worth around £4.2m, and work started in March. The extra parking is expected to be available in July.
Liz Ratcliffe, Network Rail’s commercial manager (retail) explains: “When the car park was built, there were plenty of spaces for everyone. What couldn’t have been predicted at the time was the phenomenal growth in demand for rail travel right across the country.
“That, plus the increase to three trains an hour to and from London from the end of 2008 means that on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays we frequently have to turn cars away.
“While our passenger satisfaction surveys are always very positive, the recurring theme is the lack of spaces at peak periods, which is why we are extending the car park.”
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