Update – 30 June

The exit spiral ramp of the Grafton East car park has recently been brightened with a fresh coat of paint. The handrails are also due to be painted within the next couple of weeks.

The latest news is that the contractors are currently filling in the holes they created whilst making the structural repairs in the floor and ceiling on parking level 6.

When this is completed the parking level will reopen, which we think will be on Tuesday 1 July.

The bad news is that at this time level 4 will be closed for a couple of days. I would like to apologise to all of customers who use the disabled bays for any disruption and confusion that this work will cause.

The contractors are going to be directing all blue badge holders to park mainly on level 6 but it is possible that some space may be available on level 4 if the building work allows.

Please feel free to ask our car park attendants or the contractors’ staff who are directing the traffic for any help in identifying where you can park.

During the refurbishment the Shopmobility office on level 4 will still be open 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and 11am to 5pm on Sundays. There may be times when customers may not be able to access theoffice from the car park, but the entrance into the landing of the Grafton Centre will still be open.

Please ring the Shopmobility office on 01223 461858 before you come if there is a problem and they will be able to provide the latest information.

When level 4 is reopened towards the end of the week the contractors will be moving up the car park onto levels 8 and 8A which will have to be closed. This will unfortunately mean that the lift to Debenhams and the scenic lift into the Grafton centre will not be available from the car park.

Level 8 & 8A will be closed for approximately 5 to 6 weeks the work that is being carried out will include cleaning, spraying soffits, deck coating, lining and finishing. This work will take a considerable length of time, but a big difference should be seen when it is completed.

If  you have any concerns or questions about parking during the refurbishment in the Grafton East car park please feel free to contact me on telephone  01223 458500 and ask for Julie Edwards, or email on carparks@cambridge.gov.uk

Update – 18 June

Work on the refurbishment has been continuing at a good pace this week at the Grafton East car park although I suspect that many of the car park users will not have been able to see much of the recent work.

One obvious change is the fresh white paint that has been applied to the walls of the exit spiral, which is a great improvement.

Some of the more hidden away work includes that being carried out on Level 8A, which has recently been closed whilst blasting is carried out to remove the dirt and debris.

The good news is that this parking level should be reopened by the time that this blog goes lives and so parking and full access to Debenhams and the scenic lift to the centre of the Grafton will be restored.

Parking level 6 is still closed and it sounds like it will be for a while longer whilst the experts decide how best to carry out some of the concrete repairs that are needed around some problematic power conduits.

While concrete is being dug out of some parts of the floor on level 6 sections of level 4 below are being closed. This floor contains all of the disabled parking bays and I am very sorry if these closures cause inconvenience to our blue badge holding customers.

We are making sure that only a small part of the parking level is closed at any time and that it is reopened again as soon as possible.

If you have any problems using the car park because of this or for any reason please feel free to contact a member of car park staff in the car park who will be pleased to help in any way they can.

The car park attendants can be found at the customer services kiosk near the exit or you can speak to them by pressing the intercom button on any of the entry/exit or paystation.

I recently met with the contactors who informed me that they arranging to paint new parking bay markings on the open-air levels very soon. This work could be happening next week but a date has not yet been confirmed, I will try and give some notice in a blog when I receive a definite date.

The bad news is that while the relining takes place levels 9, 10 & 10A will be closed and the work will take approximately 2 days.

The good news is that our request that work starts very early in the mornings has been agreed so it will trouble as few people as possible and as the paint dries almost as soon as it is put down parking bays can be reopened very quickly.

I am therefore not anticipating that there will be too much inconvenience to car park users but we will be monitoring the situation and will react accordingly.

If you have any questions, problems or concerns about the refurbishment work please feel free to contact on 01223 458500 and ask for Julie Edwards or email carparks@cambridge.gov.uk.

Update – 12 June

The contractors have now been in at Grafton East car park for a few weeks and progress can definitely be seen.

I am Julie and I work in the car parks as a project co-ordinator setting up and helping both small and large run as smoothly as possible.

This refurbishment has been keeping myself and the rest of the car park team very busy due to the challenge of keeping the car park open whilst such major works are taking place.

I am keeping in touch with our contractors Concrete Repairs and will be updating this blog with news of what is happening and wherever possible giving advanced warning of any areas of the car park which will be temporarily closed.

Work this past week has progressed well with more washing down being carried out on level 8 and on the exit spiral ramp. Painting has continued as a very fast rate and levels 6 and 8 are looking very clean and bright.

Repairs have started to be made to the concrete floor which is unfortunately a noisy and dusty process and is due to continue for some months to come.

I would like to apologise to anyone who has been affected by this work especially the staff and customers of the Shopmobility service who had to put up with a couple of days of hiding from the noise whilst concrete was dug up on the parking level immediately above their office.

Current parking situation

Parking levels which are currently closed include levels 6, 8 & 8A. As level 8A is closed this means that parking next to the lift to Debenhams and the scenic lift, which goes down into the middle of the Grafton Centre by Marks & Spencer, is not available.

We are hoping to reopen levels 8 and 8A again in the next few days starting this weekend.

Work taking place starting Monday 16 June

Level 6 will remain closed for a a few days during this week whilst repairs to the concrete floor continue.

At the same time parts of level 4 will be closed for approximately 3 days at the beginning of the week, this will mean that some of the disabled bays will not be available.

I recommend that those people wishing to use the Shopmobility service park on level 8 and take the lift down into the shopping centre.

Now the weather has improved work is starting on the roof known as levels 10 & 10A, these levels will therefore be closed later in the week.

Signs will be displayed in the car park to inform drivers of which levels are closed.

I would like to apologise to our customers for the disruption that these works are causing and the inevitable confusions when parking levels are closed.

If you have any questions, problems or concerns about the refurbishment please feel free to call 01223 458500 and ask for Julie Edwards, or email carparks@cambridge.gov.uk.

Grafton East refurbishment starts

Recent visitors to the Grafton East car park may have noticed some unusual activity within the car park and some metal cabins, which have been installed in one of the exit lanes. This is because the builders have moved in for the start of major refurbishment works in the car park.

This blog has been set up to provide information about the refurbishment at Grafton East car park. I will be posting regular updates on progress and any news that affects the car park users.

Work is due to continue until the end of 2008, during this time there will unfortunately be some disruption for car park users for although the car park will remain open the parking levels will have to be closed off in turn to allow the contractors to work on repairs.

The Grafton East car park refurbishment is the latest in a programme of improvements made by Cambridge City Council to the city’s parking services. In 2004 Queen Anne Terrace received a £1.9m facelift. In November 2007 the opening of the Grand Arcade car park (formerly Lion Yard) and the refurbishment of the adjoining annex car park provided extra spaces for shoppers in the city centre.

The works now started at the Grafton East car park will include major repairs, new parking equipment and new lighting and redecoration making it brighter and more attractive. Help points will be installed together with better public information.

A great many requests have been received asking for parent and child bays in the car park so these wider bays will be put in on level 4 of the car park which we hope will make the car park more user friendly and convenient.

Water blasting has already started to clean the ceilings this has meant that the painter has already been able to paint most of levels 6 and 8 which are already looking cleaner and brighter. Whilst this work is being carried out parking levels are being closed although these will be opened again as soon as it is safe to do so. Currently parking levels 6 and 8 are closed but I have been told that one of these levels will be reopened for this weekend.

The rest of the car park is still open and available for parking.

I will be in regular talks with the contactors and will update this blog with progress of the works which are being carried out in the car park.