The first 522 parking spaces of the new Lincoln Central Car Park have been officially opened to the public.
The pay-as-you-exit car park, part of the £30 million Lincoln Transport Hub scheme, was given an opening ceremony this morning (November 17), off St Mary’s Street, two months ahead of schedule.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
City of Lincoln Council Leader Ric Metcalfe at the Lincoln Central car park. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The first four floors of the car park opened at midday, with free parking until midnight.
The opening came just in time for the Christmas lights switch-on at 7pm featuring Gogglebox star Sandi Bogle and former X Factor signer Andy Abraham joining Danny and Nicky Cowley.
Some 522 car parking spaces are available with 117 more spaces to be opened next week.
The full 1,000 spaces will be opened just before Christmas with the price of parking starting from £1.60 an hour and 24 hour parking will cost £7.80.
Lincoln Transport Hub will also see a brand new bus station, improvements to the railway station and pedestrianising Sincil Street to Lincoln High Street.
City of Lincoln Council leader Ric Metcale, told The Lincolnite:”I am delighted [that the car park is opened two months early], it’s much needed car parking spaces right in the city centre.
“It was always our aspiration for the car park to be on before Christmas, but we were quietly determined to get it open in time for Christmas as we know we get a huge increase of people coming in to Lincoln for Christmas shopping and the Christmas market.”
Kate Ellis – Strategic Director for Major Developments at City of Lincoln Council, said: “It’s really exciting, whilst we still have a few bits and pieces to finish, I think that it’s really important to be open for the Christmas period.”
David Reid, operations manager at Willmott Dixon said: “We are delighted to have brought forward the first phase of the Transport Hub car park ahead of schedule in order to support the Sincil Street and city centre businesses at the start of the Christmas shopping season. It marks a key milestone in this exciting project which we are proud to be part of.
“We have continued to work in partnership with City of Lincoln Council to ensure this scheme is state-of-the-art and meets the needs of local people, helping the project to make a huge difference to Lincoln’s regeneration.
“We have also progressed training on the site, where a number of local young people have been able to experience what it is like to work on a construction site first hand; learning from our experienced site team.”
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A local man was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and dangerous driving after two pedestrians were injured in a collision with a car and three parked vehicles in Skegness.
Lincolnshire Police officers attended the scene after the collision between a blue Citroen Berlingo, the parked vehicles, and a man and a woman, who are both in their 60s, on Winthorpe Avenue shortly before 7pm on Friday, April 16.
The two pedestrians suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital. However, their injuries are not thought to be life threatening.
A 63-year-old local man, who was driving the Berlingo, was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and dangerous driving. He has since been released under investigation.
Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage and anyone with information should contact them on 101 or via email at [email protected] quoting incident number 389 of April 16.
Few people attended the second Kill the Bill protest in Lincoln on Saturday, as Extinction Rebellion activists stood alone on the High Street to campaign against a proposed policing bill that could make many protests illegal.
Activists from Extinction Rebellion Lincolnshire gathered at Speakers’ Corner to oppose plans for the latest Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which could curtail protesting rights if passed through parliament.
Extinction Rebellion were the main representatives at the protest. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Under the proposed bill, police officers will be given greater powers to put a stop to any protests, as well as determining start and finish times for them, and controlling noise levels.
A few stopped to talk with the protestors, but most just went about their day walking down Lincoln High Street in the first weekend that non-essential shops and beer gardens reopened.
The Lincolnite spoke to one of the rebels at the protest, to find out the reasons behind the march.
They said: “This draconian bill cannot go ahead, it needs to be taken apart and re-evaluted completely.
“People have been walking past us shaking their heads, but they don’t realise that it’s their freedom we are fighting for.”
The Lincolnite photographer Steve Smailes captured some pictures from the protest.
Signs were put up by the works at Speakers’ Corner on Lincoln High Street. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
A 19-year-old man is in hospital with serious injuries after a crash on the A52 on Friday evening.
The single-vehicle crash, involving a white Suzuki Splash, happened in the westbound lane of the A52 between Barrowby and Sedgebrook at around 7.20pm on Friday, April 16.
The driver of the car is now in hospital after suffering serious injuries, and police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
Officers believe the driver had travelled from Grantham on the A52 at Barrowby before the crash.
Anyone who has dashcam footage or saw the vehicle before the incident is being asked to call 101, quoting incident 420 of April 16.
Alternatively, you can email [email protected], using the same reference in the subject box.
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