Electronic parking signs coming to Newbury

Signs to display availability of parking spaces are to be installed at ten locations

NEWBURY shoppers may soon no longer have to spend hours looking for a place to park, as electronic signs displaying parking availability are to be installed around entrances to the town.

Standard Life Investments, the developers of the new Parkway shopping complex set to open in the town centre on October 27, are funding 10 electronic signs to be placed at strategic points to reach as many drives heading into town as possible and to provide early information which will allow them to redirect to a convenient location.

West Berkshire Council expects to have the signs in place by the autumn.

The signs are being supplied to West Berkshire's Highways Service by Siemens.

The variable message signs Variable Message Signs will display the number of available spaces at any one time at named car parks or groups of car parks at the same location. The information will be updated automatically.

The ten locations for the new Variable Message Signs are the A339 north of the A4 Western Avenue; A4 London Road east of Robin Hood roundabout; A339 between Robin Hood roundabout and the Sainsbury's roundabout; A339 between Sainsbury's roundabout and A343; A339 south of A343; A343 Andover Road; Bartholomew Street; Market Street; London Road west of Robin Hood roundabout; and A4 Bath Road west of town centre.

West Berkshire Council's executive councillor for highways, David Betts (Con, Purley-on-Thames), said: "The new variable message signs are an important part of the traffic management changes for Newbury town centre," he said. "Together with the existing signs, they will do much to help visitors park easily and reduce journey times. They represent another major benefit that the new Parkway development is bringing to the town."