Councillors have told planners to include sufficient parking spaces in proposals for the £600m transformation of Birmingham New Street station to avoid further congestion in the city.
The city council planning committee is worried that long queues of traffi c and taxis around the station, which frequently bring the area to a standstill, will not disappear when the new station opens in 2016.
Cllr James Hutchings said: ‘I am not convinced there is enough parking for this shopping centre – it seems to be a fundamental weakness of the plan.’ Another councillor, Bob Beauchamp, added: ‘Parking is of paramount importance. We also need to make sure taxis and cars can get in and out quickly to pick up passengers. Now is the time to get this right, we don’t want the long queues we have at present.’
It was also suggested by the committee that more parking should be provided at rail stations around the city to encourage use of trains to the city centre. Officers and architects have promised to take a closer look at traffic arrangements.
There is also fear that designers are being optimistic about the number of people who are going to be using trains and buses to get to the station and new shopping centre due to be located next door.
