Cash-strapped Cheshire East Council is closing its new £11 million multi-storey car park in Crewe on Sundays because it can’t afford operating costs seven days a week, writes Belinda Ryan.
The 390-space town centre car park opened at the end of July, six months later than it should have done, after being plagued with problems during construction.
Now it appears the council can’t afford to open it seven days a week.
Cllr Mark Goldsmith (Ind), chair of Cheshire East Council’s highways and transport committee, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “There is no plan in the short-term future to open the Crewe multi-storey car park on a Sunday, as there is car parking available elsewhere in Crewe’s town centre.
“Unlike our surface level car parks, the multi-storey in Crewe requires staffing and, given the financial position the council is in at the moment, it would not be sensible to be adding further cost to the operation of one of our car parks.”
The car park was planned as part of a regeneration scheme which was to have seen Crewe town centre transformed.
Originally, there were plans for a new eight-screen cinema, gym, restaurants, shops and a new bus station.
The final result was the demolition of many of the existing shops and business premises on Victoria Street and Queensway – but nothing has yet replaced them.
The only schemes which did go ahead were the bus station and the car park.
Conservative group leader Janet Clowes told the LDRS, while costs must be minimised for the council at the current time: “I think, like most people, we had thought that once the multi-storey car park was open it would be open seven days a week.
“I’m unaware that these opening hours were arranged or organised through any highways and transport committee meeting.”
The council are a disgrace. Why anyone ever thought this was required is beyond me. Should have built other amenities and the car park only if needed!
I’m surprised it’s opened at all,
Although I have no intention of using it and I don’t know how many people use it at the moment.
Another waste of money.
The Multi-Storey useless abomination is nothing more than a monumental reminder of just how incredibly stupid and incompetent the Councillors who sanctioned its construction truly are!
Each and every one of the numbskulls responsible for such a colossal waste of taxpayers money should be named and shamed, exposed for the half-wits they are, and immediately barred from public office till hell freezes over.
Never used it never will what’s the point where will I be going ??
Where does the incompetence within Cheshire East Council end.
No Counsellor, Director, Executive is ever held to account. It is time the culprits were banned from public office either as counsellors or officers in a local authority. Enough is enough.
They simply view the residents of Cheshire East as cash cows.
Most of us are sick to the back teeth of these incompetents.
Remember as well they lost15million in the Iceland bank scandal and another 11million on H S 2
For the normal people of Crewe this is a complete waste of time and money.
But on the bright side at least the drug takers and alcoholics have an £11m shelter so they have no need to get wet on rainy days. Absolute disgrace Cheshire East..
Long gone are the days of a vibrant Crewe, I’m referring to the 70s and early 80s, when it was a pleasure to go shopping there. Now it resembles a bomb site and it will never be any different. Cheshire East hang your heads in shame.
Good comments, Cheshire East Council are now destroying Alsager..!!! And have been doing so over the last two years they ask for opinions of residents then totally ignore them and just go ahead with their ridiculous plans.and waste our money whilst paying themselves huge salaries with gold plated pensions.
To be fair, councillors also pay the same taxes which have contributed to the build…
Why on earth have they built a car park that needs to be manned in the first place? Everything could and should be automated to save money.
They should hang their. Heads in shame they have killed crewe Town it’s now a dump.
£11 million to build to allow people to park to then walk around a bomb site, WOW.
The fact that this unneeded carpark was built rather than the complex that would have brought value to Crewe and a reason to visit the empty town centre is a joke. Cheshire east council need disbanding as they haven’t a clue how to run projects or manage a budget.
Every time I’ve parked in the new carpark it’s been almost completely empty.
They’d be better off shutting the new carpark permanently and turning it into flats.
This is hilarious, that is if us the tax payers were not funding these idiots.
The people ruling over you think you are a joke. They waste taxes because it’s your money, not theirs, and they suffer no consequences.
They built this with your taxes. They won’t let you use it, because they can’t afford to make you pay a second time.
They live amongst you.
Give them some consequences.
Another bloody waste of money.
Just like the ongoing traffic calming in west street.
Get real council !!
When it was first opened the opening times was advised as Monday to Saturday. I must have missed an announcement about it opening on Sundays. Indeed, a comment was made about it being closed on a Sunday when a well attended event was in the Town Centre the same day. Can someone enlighten me. Thanks.