A major infrastructure project in Prestwich is nearing completion. The brand new travel hub, a £14m scheme to create 300 parking spaces and a cycle storage site, celebrated its ‘topping off’ ceremony – meaning the basic structure of the building is now complete.
This means the multi-storey car park could be open ahead of its scheduled completion in July 2026.
The hub will contain 254 standard parking spaces, 30 electric charging stations, 15 disabled bays (including one electric), and two City Club parking bays. There will also be room for 76 bicycles.
Located directly next to Prestwich tram stop, the multi-storey car park will be ‘vital’ for commuters and visitors to the town, according to developers Muse.
The construction milestone was celebrated with a visit from council leader Eamon O’Brien and an entourage of bagpipe players.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, coun O’Brien said: “It’s great to see this project progressing ahead of schedule. This represents more than just a travel hub, or a ‘car park’, it represents a huge step forward on the regeneration of Prestwich village.
“It’s a symbol to businesses and residents that we are going to deliver the much bigger scheme that the town has been desperately crying out for decades.”
The works have caused a significant amount of disruption, with businesses on Fairfax Road sharing they were ‘a bit p***** off’ because of road closures. Owners like Andrew Bullock, the founder of Croma, said ‘trade was massively down’ due to confusion about which roads and car parks in the town centre are currently open.
Responding to the complaints, Mr O’Brien said: “We do appreciate it’s frustrating. We have done as much reopening as we can in a way that still allows us to complete the scheme safely, allows us to do it much quicker, and allows us to keep the costs down.
“We just have to apologise for the disruption and explain that it’s a really vital part of completing a vital scheme in a bustling town centre.”
He added that he believed the regeneration plans would ultimately bring ‘enormous investment into the town and more people, which will be good for local businesses’.
The new car park is part of a more than £100m plan to transform the area around the Longfield Centre. The plans currently include a new village square, market hall, community hub, and 200 new homes.
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