Much needed relining works will begin at Westmorland Shopping Centre car park in Kendal from Monday 28 September, to create wider parking bays that better accommodate modern vehicles. Westmorland and Furness Council anticipate that these improvements will be completed by late October.
The project will see parking bay widths increased from the current 2.4 metres to 2.6 metres, with some bays located between structural pillars widened to more than 3 metres where space allows. The changes respond directly to customer feedback that existing spaces are too narrow for many of today’s vehicles.
To minimise disruption to building users, work will start on Level 7 and then move progressively down through the building one floor at a time. Temporary closures will be limited to the areas where work is being carried out, with these spaces clearly coned off.
Level 7 will be closed during the works. However, access to all other open floors will be maintained and all disabled parking bays will remain available throughout the project, as they are unaffected by the temporary closures.
While the improvements will result in a reduction in the total number of spaces, the revised layout will provide a more practical and user-friendly experience for motorists.
To help mitigate the reduction in parking capacity at Westmorland Shopping Centre car park, the Council has also reviewed its own car parking arrangements and usage to help free up more visitor and resident parking in the town centre.
This project follows the successful upgrade of lighting throughout the car park, where energy-efficient LED lighting was installed to improve visibility, customer safety and the overall visitor experience. It also forms part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to maintaining and investing in its assets.