Finishing touches put to town centre car park

Posted on 29th July 2022 | in Business News , Community

The finishing touches are being put to Amble’s long awaited permanent town centre car park, bringing an end to nine years of campaigning.
Ann Burke holds arms in the air in front of the new car park

Delight from Ann Burke who has campaigned for nine years for a permanent town centre car park

Ann Burke who launched the original petition by Amble Business Club for a permanent town centre car park said “I was thrilled to bits to see the finishing touches to this car park. It’s been a long time coming.”

The car park in Turner Street has been extended and modernised, with 134 spaces, seven disabled parking bays and six electric vehicle bays. Spaces for motorcycles and bikes are also included. Drainage, lighting and access to the site has also been improved.

Work on the site is due to be completed in August, and parking will be free for the first hour. Earlier this year, Northumberland County Council (NCC) told The Ambler that a charge was necessary to cover the costs of purchasing and improving the land:

“The County Council has agreed to commit £1.9m in capital funding to provide additional parking capacity at Turner Street car park in Amble, with the primary purpose of the car park being to help support the growing demand for visitor/tourist parking in the town.”
Digger and rubble

The original 49 space car park was extended into land which had been derelict for years

The new car park can boast several green credentials in its development. Over 2,700 tonnes of recycled road making material has been used saving the council over £125,000 in tipping fees and over £100,000 in the purchase of quarried stone  – as well as saving around 19 tonnes of carbon. And all of the plant operating on the site are also run on hydrogenated  vegetable oil, which is a more environmentally friendly option to diesel.

In 2012, over 3000 people signed a petition in one week, calling on the county council to address the lack of long term parking and the constant threat of parking enforcement wardens on Amble’s Queen Street where parking is restricted to one hour.

A parking group was set up with members of NCC, Amble Business Club, Amble Town Council and Amble Development Trust.

Car park signs

Northumberland County Council finalised the purchase of the land in 2021

Finally in early 2021 NCC purchased the land, and were then able to draw up plans for redeveloping the site, which included demolishing an old bungalow.

Related articles:

Amble car park will be free for first hour

 

Car park saga reaches happy conclusion for town

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