City car park to remain open overnight after trial
NCJ MediaOvernight parking in a city centre car park is to continue after a successful trial, but late hours at another location will be axed.
Newcastle City Council launched a trial last November in which the Dean Street and Grainger Town multi-storey car parks have been kept open through the night at weekends.
The initiative was created in an effort to provide safer parking for workers on night shifts in city centre bars, clubs and hotels.
It has now been confirmed only the Dean Street site will continue with the extra hours.
Rather than shutting the gates at midnight like other car parks, the two have instead been left open through the night on Fridays and Saturdays with extra charges of 50p per hour introduced between 19:00 BST and midnight.
Council bosses said following an analysis of a six-month trial period between November and May there had been a "significant difference in usage and income" between the two, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
While the Dean Street trial produced a net profit of £7,777 for the council, the 24-hour weekend opening at Grainger Town ran at a loss of £3,532 which the local authority believed was "unlikely to improve".
The council said an average of 33 vehicles left the Dean Street car park between midnight and 06:00 BST during the trial, compared to just 14 at Grainger Town.
Responses to a survey of car park users included comments that the later hours were "essential for nightlife workers" who otherwise feared being mugged.
Another car park user said: "It is much better if you're having a night out in town or staying at friends' in town and being able to leave your car in a secure car park, and collect it the following day."
It is expected that the Grainger Town car park will revert to its previous hours in September.
