Maidenhead & Windsor

Drivers using the Royal Borough’s multi-storey car park at Nicholsons Shopping Centre, Maidenhead, will soon begin to notice changes for the better.

The town centre car park is undergoing a number of improvements, designed to make it brighter, safer, ‘greener’ and easier to use – and the works are scheduled to finish in time for Christmas shopping.

Part of the Windsor and Maidenhead borough-wide car park improvement programme, the scheme has already seen the installation of modern electrical equipment needed to control energy use, to help reduce the council’s carbon footprint.

Over the next few weeks parking bay lines will be painted, with many of the smaller bays widened to make them more easily accessible. White paintwork will also be used to help make the car park brighter and more welcoming.

The safety of everyone using the car park is a high priority and one of the most significant improvements will be the installation of CCTV cameras throughout, which will record and be monitored 24 hours a day. The car park has already achieved the Park Mark – the Thames Valley Police Secured Car Park award – and the addition of CCTV will further enhance safety and security for all users.

Another major change will be new pay and display machines that will be simpler to use, more efficient and require much less maintenance than the current, out-of-date ‘pay on foot’ system. They will also mean:

· reduced queuing and better traffic flow inside the car park
· reduced congestion at the entrance on Broadway and
· a dramatic improvement in air quality in this part of the town.

Cash and credit card payment and change machines will be conveniently located on all main levels.

Cllr Colin Rayner, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead highways, transport and environment, said the Nicholsons car park improvements would create a much better and safer environment to attract more town centre shoppers.

He said: “Experience at other local car parks has shown us that pay and display machines are both popular with drivers and more cost-effective for the council – and because they need much less looking after, our parking officers will be freed up to carry out more car park patrols. Along with the 24-hour CCTV cameras, this will bring about greater safety and security for all. It is also much more environmentally friendly to shop close to home and support local businesses.”

Cllr David Burbage, lead member for Maidenhead and chairman of Maidenhead Town Partnership, welcomed the improvements. He said: “Nicholsons is one of Maidenhead’s most popular car parks and I am confident that both users and local traders will appreciate the changes, especially as they will be ready in time for the busy Christmas shopping period and the January sales.”

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead