A town's new multi-storey car park is now open – five months later than planned.

The 317-space Bourne Place Multi-Storey Car Park, in St Michael's Road, Sittingbourne, has been built as part of the multi-million pound town centre redevelopment and includes 21 disabled and four parent-and-child parking bays.

It also has 10 bays for motorbikes, space for seven bicycles and there will soon be four electric vehicle charging points.

From today, the car park will be open from 8am until 7pm, seven days a week and will eventually be open 24 hours a day when a new Travelodge hotel and The Light cinema open.

Cllr Monique Bonney (Ind), cabinet member for economy and property at Swale council, said: “I’d like to thank local people for their patience while we have been working on the car park.

“We weren’t entirely comfortable with a few aspects of the design, so we’ve had to spend a bit more time getting these sorted out before we were happy to open.

“The extra spaces will help ease some of the pressure on other short stay car parks, and I hope this encourages more people to visit the town centre and support local businesses.”

Parking charges for the car park are in place between 8am and 6pm. These are:

• Up to 30 mins - 50p
• Up to one hour - £1
• Up to two hours - £2
• Up to three hours - £3
• Up to four hours - £4
• Up to five hours - £5
• Up to six hours - £6
• Over six hours - £15

There will be free parking on Sundays for visitors to The Light cinema when it opens next year.

The car park was initially set to open in April this year, but a number of issues pushed the opening back.

Council leader Roger Truelove (Lab) said: "The delay was caused by contractual disagreements that go back long before the coalition took office.

"These issues were resolved in June but it has taken two months to complete work."

Multi-million pound regeneration work starts

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