A new car park has now opened in Penzance to provide convenient and safe out-of-town car parking which aims to encourage tourism and reduce pressure for on-street parking in the town.

Next to Sainsbury’s and accessed via Jelbert Way the new car park, which will provide 157 car parking spaces, 11 disabled parking spaces and eight coach bays, is in the perfect location to provide parking for Scillonian ferry passengers.

It will offset the loss of the Isles of Scilly parking at Wherrytown car park, which is now being developed by providing a parking facility at a more strategic location on approach to the town from the A30, and helps to reduce pressure for on-street parking in the town.

The provision of eight coach parking bays will also encourage tourism and coach trips to the town.

The car park will be managed by the Isles of Scilly Parking Company, a local business independent of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, and is now open for pre-booked parking for visitors to the Isles of Scilly until November 5.

Further facilities are planned to enable a park and ride using the regular bus service from Jelbert Way to Penzance bus station, which runs every 15 minutes.

Anticipated opening hours will be from 08:30 until 18:30, 6 days a week (7 days a week in July and August.)

The car park is well connected to Mounts Bay via a pedestrian crossing on the A30 and footbridge, and it’s expected that some visitors will decide to use the route around Mounts bay to access both Penzance and Marazion on foot.

To introduce the service an open day will be held on Saturday 21 April and Saturday parking for the first month will be free for park and ride customers using the scheduled bus service into Penzance.

Councillor Brown, Cornwall Council Portfolio Holder for Transport, said: “Historically visitors using the Scillonian have had to travel into Penzance town to park their vehicles which led to traffic congestion problems.

“It is hoped that this new car park, which is in a convenient out of town location close to the A30, will help improve traffic flow around Penzance town centre and also encourage visitors to an already popular destination.”

Mario Fonk, Cornwall councillor for Gulval and Heamoor, said: “I am pleased to hear that the car park, which I believe will be an excellent benefit for the town residents and visitors, is now complete. I hope that it will encourage more visitors to Penzance as it will reduce the pressure on parking in the town.”

Coun Simon Elliott, for Ludgvan, added: “It is good to see the car park being finally put to good use. Having spoken to Isles of Scilly Parking, I know they want to work with the community to see it used effectively. Hopefully visitors to the Isles will prefer to park safely in this corner of Ludgvan Parish rather than in the Penzance streets nearest to the harbour.”

Cormac began works last year on land owned by the Sainsbury’s supermarket chain. Development of the land was one of the conditions on which planning permission was granted for their store, which is based just off the A30.

For more information, or to pre-book a space, visit the Isles of Scilly Parking Company website, www.islesofscillyparking.co.uk