Work starts on £7.6m multi-storey car park

Work has started on the construction of a congestion-busting multi-storey car park for commuters in south Birmingham.

629 cars will be able to use the new £7.6m park and ride facility at Longbridge railway station when it opens in spring 2020.

The former surface-level car park accommodated just 102 cars and was often fully occupied by 7.30am each weekday.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Park and ride facilities are a key part of our plans to encourage people to use public transport for the main part of their commute.

“Longbridge car park was jam packed each morning so I am delighted we are able to offer 500 more spaces. This will help us ease congestion and cut pollution.”

Cllr Kath Hartley, chair of the WMCA’s Transport Delivery Committee and member of Birmingham City Council, said: “Longbridge is one of many places we are looking to improve or develop new park and ride facilities across the West Midlands.

“This will be open by the time the clean air zone is introduced and I would urge commuters from the south of Birmingham to consider parking here instead of driving into the city centre.”

Contractor Bourne Parking is building the multi-storey for Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

Bourne Parking’s managing director Karl Butters said: “Bourne Parking is proud to be working with WMCA as their framework delivery partner for this prestigious new car park at Longbridge.”
The development is also backed by the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and Midlands Engine.

Katie Trout, director of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “GBSLEP is proud to be supporting and part-funding the construction of the Longbridge Multi-Storey car park.

“This new provision will not only significantly increase capacity and reduce congestion into the city, it will also benefit the local community and wider economy as part of a packet of measures to improve connectivity into the Greater Birmingham area.”