Our contractors have been working hard and progress is continuing to be made on the refurbishment of Grafton East car park.
This has unfortunately meant parking levels continue to be closed to allow the contractors to work safely and to ensure that car park users are not hurt or cars damaged.
The sign at the entrance will give details of which levels are closed and we will continue to ensure that as many parking spaces remain open as possible.
I must admit to being particularly sorry for those people who parked on the small level 7 recently who would normally pay on levels 6 or 8 which were both closed for a while during this last week.
I would like to say that if anyone hasn’t been able to find their way to a paystation during the refurbishment works, payment can be made at the customer services kiosk next to the exit barriers.
On top of this problem people parking on level 7 would usually go up to level 8 to access the spiral ramp exit but this was closed and so they had to go up to the roof in order to go all the way down the exit ramp.
I am sorry for any confusion but I hope you enjoyed the long spiral trip down.
You may have seen that parts of the car park have been fenced off and long thin strips have been dug up. This is because the rubber joints between the concrete slabs needed to be replaced. Work has been taking place on levels 4, 6 and 8 to remove the old rubber strip and its metal surround and replace with new joints.
Work on the joints has almost finished on these levels but there are still holes in level 8A where work continues, although this should also be finished soon.
The electricians have started rewiring the car park ready for the fitting of new lights which will give out a brighter white light that we hope will make the car park a much nicer place to use. This work will continue on all the parking levels over the next few months.
I also hope that the new lighting will make life easier for our customers including the lovely lady I met the other day who was having difficulty finding her purse within her handbag, but perhaps that can be equally blamed on the vast amount of absolutely essential items we ladies just have to carry around with us.
The staircases are another area which are very much in need of freshening up. The staircase leading to Napier Street has been closed recently whilst jet washing has taken place; this is in preparation for redecoration, which will take place later.
Parking levels 6 and 8A will be closed but the rest of the car park will be open as usual.
Work to replace the joints on level 8A should be finished in the middle of the week after which this parking level will reopen.
Level 6 will remain closed as special coatings will be applied to the decks and the electrical wiring work will continue.
Some other small areas of the car park may be blocked off whilst other small jobs continue.
If you have any questions, problems or concerns about the refurbishment work please feel free to contact me by telephone on 01223 458500 (ask for Julie Edwards) or email carparks@cambridge.gov.uk.
