Improvement work completed at two coastal car parks

Two popular car parks have re-opened ahead of the busy tourist season, following major improvement work.
The extended Craster car park.The extended Craster car park.
The extended Craster car park.

More than £500,000 has been spent on improvements to Craster car park and the Seafield car park in Seahouses, both of which attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

Historically, the village car park in Craster quickly became full during busy periods, meaning cars parking along the main access road to the village and the village itself, causing problems for local bus services and parking issues for residents.

Seahouses overflow car park.Seahouses overflow car park.
Seahouses overflow car park.
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The county council worked closely with Craster Parish Council to find a solution and has extended the car park in the quarry area to create a further 48 spaces, bringing the total capacity to 148.

The scheme has required extensive engineering works and has included the provision of specialist rock fencing around the perimeter to protect against potential rock falls. It includes a new electric vehicle charging point which will be added in the next few weeks.

At Seahouses, the surface of the former grass extension car park was not formally set out and suffered from rutting and other damage in bad weather. The car park has seen excavation, regrading, drains installed, a stone surface laid and rows of parking bays created.

There are 160 spaces and the car park will be much more hard-wearing, particularly in wet weather.

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Coun Glen Sanderson, cabinet member for environment and local services, said: “Like many of our popular tourist destinations, there is a lack of car parking capacity in both Craster and Seahouses, particularly during peak season, and it makes sense to ensure what is available is used as efficiently as possible.

“These schemes will provide much needed extra parking for visitors to help boost tourism and should have a positive knock-on effect for the local economy.“