BOLTON Council has revealed there will be a new multi-storey car park built close to the train station.

Councillor Cliff Morris, leader of the council, made the disclosure following a question by Cllr Stuart Haslam at full council.

In September The Bolton News reported how talks were in progress between the authority and car parking providers NCP over the possibility of a multi-storey car park.

On Wednesday Cllr Morris told councillors: “We are speaking to NCP and working with Transport for Greater Manchester to make sure that we get the new Interchange built.

“There will be a multi-storey car park.”

Cllr David Chadwick, the member in charge of transport at Bolton Council, said a new car park would be ‘good news’ for commuters.

He said: “The problem we have at the moment is that people are parking between Thynne Street and the railway station, not in the official car parks which we want them to use.

“We as a council and me as the Transport for Greater Manchester representative want to retain car parking facilitie4s, and clearly we want to encourage people to use the trains rather than driving into Manchester.”

It is understood the council are looking for the car park to have up to 400 spaces.

NCP closed four car parks on Johnson Street and Bollings Yard in September so builders could step up work on the £48 million Bolton Interchange.

When completed, the new Interchange will replace the existing bus station in Moor Lane and connect with the railway station through a ‘skylink’ footbridge,.

Duncan Bowins, managing director of NCP said as the parking partner for Bolton Council they are ‘constantly’ working with them on their plans for parking in the town.

He added: “We have supported them through many major projects such as the Topp Way and Dean Road new multi-storey car parks, the successful introduction of pre-booking facilities and refurbishments at the Octagon car park, and their free Christmas shopper parking initiatives to encourage people to visit local retailers.

“Looking to the future we continue to work with them on many opportunities to support the demand for parking in Bolton.”