More car parking spaces at Warrington Bank Quay station

A new car park for rail passengers using Warrington Bank Quay station opens on 4 September. Located a short walk from the station in Slutchers Lane, the car park, (car park 2), has 200 spaces.

As well as the new car park, by 20 September Network Rail and Virgin Trains will have upgraded the facilities at the existing car park (car park 1) located adjacent to the station entrance. To allow the upgrade of car park 1 to take place it will be temporarily closed from 4 September. Once the upgrade work is completed the two car parks will provide a combined 280 spaces at the station.

For the safety and security of users, the new car park also has CCTV throughout with 24 hour recording. The car parks will have a new ‘Pay on Foot’ payment system, where a ticket is issued on entry to the car park. Payment must then be made at the machine prior to customers returning to their car to leave the car park.

A new charging structure is also being introduced, offering substantial discounts over the full day rate for off peak and weekend users.

From 4 September all-day parking in Car Park 2 at Warrington Bank Quay will cost £6, and is the first increase in parking charges at the station for over five years. New reduced off-peak parking charges will be available after 10:00 on weekdays coasting £4 and on Saturdays and Sundays costing £2 a day. Monthly, quarterly, six monthly and annual season tickets are also available for regular peak time users, which have also been increased to align them pro-rata with the new daily rate. The new monthly ticket costs £74 effectively offering daily parking, based on 20 days use a month at just £3.70 a day. The annual ticket is priced at £735 and if used for just 45 weeks a year offers an equivalent daily parking rate of just £3.27 a day.

From 20 September all-day parking in Car Park 1 at Warrington Bank Quay will cost £8. New reduced off-peak parking charges will be available on Saturdays and Sundays costing £6 a day. Monthly, quarterly, six monthly and annual season tickets are also available for regular peak time users, which have also been increased to align them pro-rata with the new daily rate. The new monthly ticket costs £98 effectively offering daily parking, based on 20 days use a month at just £4.90 a day. The annual ticket is priced at £980 and if used for just 45 weeks a year offers an equivalent daily parking rate of just £4.36 a day.

Virgin Trains Station Manager at Warrington Bank Quay Keith Millard said: “The limited parking facilities at Warrington Bank Quay station have caused problems for rail travellers in recent years. Now with 200 extra spaces everyone should be able to find a parking space, and the special off-peak rates should appeal to shoppers and weekend travellers.”

Jo Kaye, route director for Network Rail who built the car park, said: “Providing car parking at railway stations is all about true transport integration – passengers driving short distances to the station to then use the railway they rely on for the longer part of their journey”.



ENDS


Notes to Editors:
The full pricing structure for Warrington Bank Quay Car Park 1 is:
All day (Mondays-Fridays) £8.00
Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays £2.00
Monthly Season Ticket £98.00
Quarterly Season Ticket £279.00
Six-month Season Ticket £517.00
Annual Season Ticket £980.00

The full pricing structure for Warrington Bank Quay Car Park 2 (Slutchers Lane) is:
All day (Mondays-Fridays) £6.00
Monday-Friday (after 10:00) £4.00
Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays £2.00
Monthly Season Ticket £74.00
Quarterly Season Ticket £209.00
Six-month Season Ticket £388.00
Annual Season Ticket £735.00






Images of Virgin Trains and the company’s operations are available in the Image Library on our online Media Room website www.virgintrains.co.uk/about/media-room/

You can subscribe to receive alerts to new press releases by visiting www.virgintrains.co.uk/about/media-room/

Virgin Trains is the brand name of Virgin Rail Group. We have operated the West Coast passenger train franchise since 1997; the current franchise runs to March 2012.

Virgin Rail Group is owned 51 percent by Virgin Group and 49 percent by Stagecoach.

Virgin Trains has been recognised in numerous industry awards. On 19 January 2010 the company was named Best Rail Operator of the Year at the Travel Globe Awards, voted for by readers of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and Evening Standard. In 2009 Virgin Trains was voted Best UK Domestic Train Service by Business Traveller magazine for the second year running; and named Best Rail Operator in the 2009 Group Leisure Awards, run by Group Leisure, the magazine for group travel organisers.