New Car Park Will Be Boost To Town Centre
By Jo Deeks on Thursday, 18th May 2006.
Car parking problems in Haverhill should be eased by this autumn when a long-awaited town centre car park is due to open - and it could be swiftly followed by full pedestrianisation.
St Edmundsbury Borough Council has announced that work is to start on the 110-space car park on the former Cleales car park site between Quakers Lane and the town hall car park.
Work had been due to start on the site several years ago but was delayed by legal disputes relating to parts of the land.
Town mayor and county councillor Tim Marks welcomed the news and said he hoped to see the High Street pedestrianised by the end of the year.
"It is certainly going to increase the number of parking spaces and hopefully improve rear access to the businesses on the south side of the High Street, so that we can pedestrianise it," he said.
"It is now within reach rather than something we will get around to at some time. The will is there to do it and now I think we are talking about the end of the year. My concern is to improve the safety of pedestrians and make shopping in Haverhill a more pleasant experience all round."
During the work the Helions service road will be widened, lighting put in and drainage works carried out. A path for pedestrians and cyclists will also stretch across the site.
Councillor Jeff Stevens, chairman of the Haverhill Area Working Party, said the car park would be ideally positioned to ease car parking problems in the heart of Haverhill town centre.
"This scheme again shows our commitment to investing in Haverhill and is one of the first in a range of initiatives planned for the town," he said.
Initial work is already being carried out by St Edmundsbury staff to find out where utility services will go and from June 1, parking will be banned in the Helions service road while it is widened.
Later in june, Quakers Lane will be closed between the Quakers' Meeting House and Ex-Servicemans Club to both vehicles and pedestrians while a sewage system is installed.
The completed car park should open in late October.
St Edmundsbury Borough Council has announced that work is to start on the 110-space car park on the former Cleales car park site between Quakers Lane and the town hall car park.
Work had been due to start on the site several years ago but was delayed by legal disputes relating to parts of the land.
Town mayor and county councillor Tim Marks welcomed the news and said he hoped to see the High Street pedestrianised by the end of the year.
"It is certainly going to increase the number of parking spaces and hopefully improve rear access to the businesses on the south side of the High Street, so that we can pedestrianise it," he said.
"It is now within reach rather than something we will get around to at some time. The will is there to do it and now I think we are talking about the end of the year. My concern is to improve the safety of pedestrians and make shopping in Haverhill a more pleasant experience all round."
During the work the Helions service road will be widened, lighting put in and drainage works carried out. A path for pedestrians and cyclists will also stretch across the site.
Councillor Jeff Stevens, chairman of the Haverhill Area Working Party, said the car park would be ideally positioned to ease car parking problems in the heart of Haverhill town centre.
"This scheme again shows our commitment to investing in Haverhill and is one of the first in a range of initiatives planned for the town," he said.
Initial work is already being carried out by St Edmundsbury staff to find out where utility services will go and from June 1, parking will be banned in the Helions service road while it is widened.
Later in june, Quakers Lane will be closed between the Quakers' Meeting House and Ex-Servicemans Club to both vehicles and pedestrians while a sewage system is installed.
The completed car park should open in late October.
Comment on this story
[board listing] [login] [register]
You must be logged in to post messages. (login now)