A Cambridge city councillor has called for swift action to get lifts servicing the Grand Arcade car parks working properly. With one key lift out of order for over a year, shoppers are now experiencing multiple lift failures in the centre during the busy Christmas period, says Ingrid Flaubert, Liberal Democrat councillor for Trumpington.
She has now called on Cambridge City Council and the Grand Arcade management to get their act together urgently:
“It is truly incredible to believe that it takes over a year to repair a lift in a modern shopping centre like this,” she said.
“Precautionary arrangements just cannot have been put in place, as would be expected in a high-use facility like this.
“Users of the multi-storey car park depend on working lifts to get from their cars, as many as 6 storeys above ground, to wherever they need to go in the city centre.
“Less mobile people are especially inconvenienced – especially those pushing buggies or using walking aids.
“Throughout the last year this has been regularly causing crushes inside the remaining lifts and lengthy obstructive queues in the busy walkway.
“But now, in the middle of the busiest time of year, the only alternative south lift is inoperative too! And a third lift servicing the basement levels has been vandalised too. Honestly, you couldn’t make it up!”
Cllr Haubert added: “There is a complex relationship between the council and the Grand Arcade which appears not to be helping, with reports of each organisation blaming the other. This is just not good enough.
“While they argue, Cambridge and its visitors suffer – and as always, it’s those least able to able to cope that are inconvenienced the most.
” Signs I have requested have now appeared with directions to remaining lifts, but these are all quite a detour. Those remaining lifts are now going to be impossibly crowded at busy times.
“So, both the council and the Grand Arcade need to get together and get the facilities working in time for the last three weekends of the year.”
