More car parking spaces at Wigan North Western station from 7 December 2009

The new multi-storey car park at Wigan North Western station will open on Monday 7 December. The expanded car park will provide an additional 135 parking spaces, making a total of 403 spaces available at the West Coast station. For the safety and security of users, the car park also has CCTV throughout with 24 hour recording. The temporary car park in Chapel Street will close from the same date.

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

From 7 December all-day parking at Wigan North Western station will cost £8, and is the first increase in parking charges at the station for almost six years. New reduced off-peak parking charges will be available after 10:00 on weekdays costing £4 a day. On Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays the charge will be £2. 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 prices 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 Wigan North Western Linsey Robinson said: “The limited parking facilities at Wigan North Westerrn station have caused problems for rail travellers in recent years. Now with 135 extra spaces everyone should be able to find a parking space, and the special off-peak rates should appeal to leisure and weekend travellers.”

The car park has 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.

The work at Wigan North Western is part of a joint project between Virgin Trains and Network Rail to improve car parking at all 17 stations on the West Coast route which are managed by Virgin Trains. The other stations involved are: Lancaster, Penrith, Warrington Bank Quay, Birmingham International, Carlisle, Oxenholme, Runcorn, Crewe, Stockport, Macclesfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, Wolverhampton, Rugby, Preston and Coventry.

Also provided is a a new layout at the front of the station resulting in a taxi rank just outside the booking hall and a drive through drop off area with short stay and disabled parking at the side of the station.

Mike Foss, Network Rail's Senior Commercial Scheme Sponsor said: "More passengers are travelling by train than ever before and the demand for rail travel is set to continue to rise. We predict that a large proportion of these extra passengers will drive to the station, putting even more strain on the car park.”

Notes to Editors:
The full pricing structure for Wigan North Western car park is:
All day (Mondays-Fridays) £8.00
Monday to Friday (after 10:00) £4.00
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

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