Trafford Centre bringing in first pay-for car park - here's how much you'll pay

The Trafford Centre is introducing paid-for parking spaces for the first time - and has now confirmed the full details of its Premium Parking area. The new Premium Parking zone has taken over a section of the Upper Peel Car Park 5, which is next to Selfridges.

The car park has been completely resurfaced with larger car parking spaces, said to appeal to "premium shoppers" and families with larger vehicles.

Centre bosses have now confirmed that the paid-for car park will open to the first shoppers from Wednesday, November 27. It will start charging just in time for the busy Christmas shopping period at the giant shopping mall.

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Parking in the new Premium Parking zone will cost from £4 an hour on weekdays, and from £7 an hour at weekends. However the longer you stay the cheaper the hourly rate becomes - with a maximum stay of 12 hours costing £14 on weekdays and £21 on weekends.

Trafford Centre bosses say the new services offers visitors "the option of an elevated car-parking experience in a limited number of designated, larger spaces (5m x 3m) in a premium and convenient location". It will be using the "latest in parking technology" with new barriers and a kiosk when entering the zone.

Works have been ongoing at the site for the past few months, with new barriers being put into place and a new canopy area for valeted cars to be parked after service. There are also large signs on the road surface as you drive up to the Upper Peel 5 car park signposting the way to the Premium Parking section.

Shoppers will be able to either book online in advance via the Trafford Centre website, or turn up and pay on the day at a designated pay station or at the exit barriers.

Shoppers using Premium Parking will also be able to access additional services including valet parking and enhanced car cleaning from H20.

The service has been priced in different brackets, with both peak and off-peak prices. Prices start from £4 per hour off-peak (which is weekdays), up to £21 for up to 12 hours during peak times (on weekends).

Customers who choose to pay for valet parking (£25) or various enhanced car cleaning services via H20 Car Valeting, will pay a flat fee with a full day's Premium Parking included in the price, depending on which service they choose.

Mall bosses have reiterated that free-of-charge car parking will remain across the centre's 18 car parks, with 11,500 free spaces available.

As part of the work delivered to launch Premium Parking, the centre's upper and lower car parks have been refurbished with over 100 new accessible parking spaces added "all of which will enhance the car parking experience at Trafford Centre" they say.

A Trafford Centre spokesperson said: "We're constantly looking for ways to improve and elevate the experience for our guests, so our Premium Parking offering will adopt the latest in parking technology to provide the best service, giving people the option to elevate their visit with a convenient, premium parking location. We have always been incredibly proud of the centre's vast free parking offering, and this will continue. The new initiative is intended to offer added value for those who choose to use it and will have no impact on those who wish to continue parking for free."

Since plans for Premium Parking were first unveiled, it has divided opinions among shoppers.

Some say they would be happy to pay a charge to be able to guarantee a parking spot closer to the centre, while others have been horrified by the thought of paying for parking for the first time at the previously all-free parking at the Trafford Centre.

The new Premium Parking zone will go live from November 27, with bookings being taken at the Trafford Centre website here. It will be available to use from 8am to 10pm on weekdays, from 8am to 9pm on Saturdays and 8am to 6pm on Sundays.

The full price list for Premium Parking

Up to 1 hr

£ 4 - WEEKDAY

£ 7 - WEEKEND

Up to 2 hrs

£ 8 - WEEKDAY

£ 12 - WEEKEND

Up to 3 hrs

£ 10 - WEEKDAY

£ 15 - WEEKEND

Up to 6 hrs

£ 12 - WEEKDAY

£ 18 - WEEKEND

Up to 12hrs

£ 14 - WEEKDAY

£ 21 - WEEKEND

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