Car park debris lands on vehicles

Debris from a crumbling Black Country car park has been falling on parked cars, prompting £200,000 emergency repairs to it.

The revamp of the multi-storey building in Hatherton Road, Walsall, which was described as tatty and ramshackle by a councillor, was not scheduled for another two years.

But damage to a number of vehicles parked nearby has seen the work brought up the council's list of priorities.

Walsall leases the Network Rail car park in a deal under which it must keep the site up to scratch, although the cash-strapped council has to introduce a host of cost-cutting measures next year in a bid to save more than £11 million.

The report to the environment scrutiny committee states: "Small sections of the outside structure are beginning to fall away and damage vehicles below. The assessment as to the structural integrity and safety aspects is to commence as soon as possible and will assist estimating the value of any remedials.

"The lease with Network Rail requires that we keep the car park in good repair, but we are seeking to consider options available to the council in this regard."

Pleck ward's Councillor Dennis Anson said the car park did not present a good image of the town.

"It's not a very nice building, but fortunately I think a lot of people don't even notice it at the moment.

"But when they've finished knocking down Walsall College next to it and build the new Tesco, it's going to look a right sight.

"It's not good having nice new buildings and then this tatty, ramshackle thing next to it."