The long-awaited Copr Bay North multi-storey car park in Swansea city centre will open next Monday, July 13, offering 628 parking spaces at a rate of £1 per hour for up to five hours. The facility, located on the city centre side of the bridge over Oystermouth Road, features standard bays, accessible bays, electric vehicle charging points, and motorcycle spaces.
Opening Details and Pricing
The entrance to the car park is on Albert Row, behind the Tesco superstore. Swansea Council, which had to appoint a second contractor after the original company went into administration in 2023, confirmed that the car park will be part of the authority's 1-2-3-4-5 parking offer. Motorists will pay £1 per hour for up to five hours, with a maximum charge of £5 for up to 24 hours from Monday to Saturday.
On the same day as the Copr Bay North opening, the nearby St David's multi-storey car park will close. St David's car park has 375 spaces and will be demolished to make way for a major regeneration project called Porth Copr, which is planned to include residential blocks, retail units, office space, and educational facilities.
Relocation of Permit Holders
The council said that existing season ticket holders at St David's car park will be relocated to Copr Bay North from the opening date. Permit holders at the nearby LC leisure centre who currently use another car park near Swansea Building Society Arena will move to the new facility on Monday, August 3. All permit holders will be contacted with further information.
Cllr Andrew Stevens, cabinet member for environment and infrastructure, said: “We know that residents, visitors and businesses want more city centre parking, and they want it to be affordable. That’s why we’ve invested in this new facility, creating even more parking spaces than were previously available while ensuring prices remain highly competitive compared with other towns and cities across the UK.” He added: “This means we’ll be continuing with some of the cheapest city centre car parking in the country.”
Regeneration and Retail Opportunities
Five retail units beneath the new car park are being marketed to prospective shop, restaurant, and café operators. The car park was half-built as part of the council's £135 million Copr Bay development, which includes an arena, a coastal park, a pedestrian bridge over Oystermouth Road, and an apartment block.
Cllr Rob Stewart, leader of Swansea Council, said: “Our ambition is to create a vibrant link between the city centre, the bridge and Swansea Arena, and the completion of this car park is another important step towards achieving that vision. These plans will bring significantly more people into the area, helping to create the footfall needed to attract new shops and other businesses.”
