Ely gets ready to open a new car park from Monday - room for over 120 vehicles and next to the rail station
East Cambs District Council's car parks - The Dock opens next Monday next to Angel Drove - Credit: Archant
Ely gets a new car park from Monday – with space for 128 vehicles – and ideally placed for commuters heading to London from the rail station.
East Cambs District Council announced 18 months ago that they had acquired the land and have been busy since getting the park – to be called The Dock – ready for its first paying customers.
First customers can use the park from Monday and the extra spaces will provide uplift to the neighbouring Angel Drove car park that has always filled to its 143 capacity quite quickly.
Councillor Bill Hunt, chairman of the asset development committee, will cut a tape at The Dock and officially open it at 7am.
Two ward councillors, city mayor Richard Hobbs and Councillor Lis Every, will join him for the early start opening.
“This has come about through team work at East Cambs,” said Cllr Hunt.
“I plan to congratulate the first customer and give him/her a small gift so he/she can celebrate when he/she gets home.”
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The council bought the land adjacent to the former Strikes bowling alley and close to the Tesco ‘Click and Collect’ depot at The Dock, “It is joined to the existing Angel Drove park by a new full spec footpath and customers will pay the same as the Angel Drove car park,” said Cllr Hunt.
“This £600,000 investment should make the commuters lives more convenient.”
He said the East Cambs Council Conservative administration had guaranteed that the prices will remain at current level (about half the price of the station car park) until at least May 2019 when a new council is elected.
“The new car park is a little nearer to the station and the safer walking route avoids the by-pas,” said Cllr Hunt.
He said the new Cambridge North Station is now open and many new homes will be built in north Ely thus putting more demand on parking near the main rail station.
“Within a few months another new East Cambs Council station car park will be opening at Littleport to support the growth of this expanding community.”
When the Dock was announced it received support from opposition Lib Dem councillors.
Councillor Lorna Dupre said: “Parking for users of the station has been under pressure for some time. Additional spaces will be welcome to serve the needs of Ely’s expanding population, and encourage more people to travel by public transport to Cambridge and elsewhere.”
