Reasons behind car park’s closure are finally revealed

IT’S been closed for nine months but it’s only now that council bosses have offered a brief explanation as to why one of Cheltenham’s main public car parks is shut.

St George’s Road car park, next to the town’s magistrates’ court and just a short walk from the main shopping area, has been unavailable to motorists since April.

Changes are being made to the site on behalf of the borough council and Gloucestershire County Council.

It had been hoped that the revamp would be finished late in the summer, but the project has dragged on, with little sign of the car park being ready any time soon.

The closure has been an inconvenience for drivers, especially those using the court.

Now the county council has issued a short explanatory statement.

A spokesman said: “The resurfacing of St George’s Road car park was delayed due to structural issues under the original surface. However, we are currently finalising new plans and aim to be on site at the earliest opportunity.

“Cheltenham Borough Council will continue to control about a third of the car park, which will be open to the public.

“The remaining spaces will be used by staff who deliver services from county offices on weekdays, but the whole car park will be open to the public at weekends in the New Year.”

The borough council said it had nothing to add to the county council’s statement.

The car park has 100 spaces but under the new set-up only about 30 of them will be available to the public on weekdays.

That is because they will be used by county council staff.

All of the car park’s spaces will, however, be available for the public at weekends.

For the latest on this story, visit gloucestershirelive.co.uk.