(Article from Adur and Worthing Council)
Cleaner, greener and safer car parking facilities are on their way to Worthing as part of a widespread investment to regenerate the town centre and support businesses post-COVID.
With the current Grafton car park set to be redeveloped in the next two to four years, Worthing Borough Council is embarking on an overarching strategy which will see the quality of provision improve and the quantity of spaces stay roughly the same.
A new multi-storey at the civic quarter will help to replace those at Grafton, enhanced facilities will be created at Union Place while the Council is also investing in upgrading High Street and Buckingham Road.
The investment has been called for by businesses and other organisations as the Council looks to provide modern facilities for those who need to travel by car while helping the tourism, hospitality and the night-time economy prosper.
Works on the first of those projects - Buckingham Road - should start later this year with the primary focus on essential repairs to the concrete and deck structure, which will extend the lifetime of the building for at least a further 20 years.
Enhanced lighting, clearer signs and bright decoration internally will make the split deck structure more attractive and safer for visitors while electric charging infrastructure will be provided throughout to encourage greener alternatives.
The designs include a revamped exterior which will improve the existing edge protection barrier to prevent falls and make the ten-storey mixed level car park more visible and attractive to customers.
The investment in Buckingham Road, which is closely located to Montague Street and the seafront, has been carefully planned to ensure it preserves the lifetime of the structure while improving the internal layout for customers.
The public areas outside the car park will be improved too - something requested by businesses - while cladding has been designed using a range of colours which support the wider Time for Worthing place brand.
The number of spaces will remain unaltered and all disabled and dementia-friendly bays will remain.
Work should start later this year and be completed by next summer.
Photo: An artists's impression for the revamped Buckingham Road multi-storey
