New car park in Crewe sees significant losses after initial months due to high operating costs and low parking income.
The car park made about £110 daily. This followed an initial £75 each day. Operating costs included business rates. They also covered utilities and maintenance.
Security also contributed to the total cost. Staff cover all Crewe car parks. The council fully paid for the car park. It cost £11.3 million total.
They did not use external grants for this. A £5 million grant was reassigned. The council used it for another project. It was related to the Royal Arcade.
The council says the car park is important. It replaced lost parking spaces elsewhere. Other car parks closed for new projects.
Oak Street closed for a youth zone. The Civic Centre makes way for a history center. Lyceum Square became an event space.
Seventy-three CCTV cameras are in place. They cover the car park and bus station. This aims to reduce crime and antisocial behavior. They hope to create a safer place to visit.