Is Piries Place car park a ‘disaster’?

The state of the car park, which is managed and owned by a private company but sees Horsham District Council set and collect parking charges, was criticised by several councillors with lights, machines and one lift out of order, and several reports of uncleanliness.

During the Scrutiny and Overview Committee meeting Leonard Crosie (LDem, Trafalgar), chairman of the finance and performance working group, told members that his sub-committee had discussed the topic at length.

He said: “There was concern expressed around the table about the condition of Piries Place with machines being out and lifts being out.

“It was a pretty painful catalogue to be quite frank.”

Duncan England (Con, Nuthurst) added: “Shadowing the cabinet member for car parks a few years ago, Piries Place is a disaster, it’s dirty, there are issues of smell on the stairs, this was where people were relieving themselves.

“The fumes from vehicles are unbearable if you have breathing problems and the space for you to park if you are rather broad it’s impossible to get out of the vehicle and back into it.”

He continued: “I think the whole area needs completely taking apart and putting back together again.”

After the meeting Roger Paterson (Con, Pulborough and Coldwaltham), cabinet member for the local economy, said problems with the owner’s cleaning contractors had led their own cleansing services to undertake a deep clean of the car park in September 2013.

New machines are set to be brought in and the stairwell and floor will be repainted.