CIVIC bosses have announced they are to close a car park overnight because of rough sleepers using it for shelter.

Marlands Multi-Storey Car Park will now be closed from midnight until 5.30am every day after Southampton City Council received feedback from car park users who told them that homeless men and women were using it to sleep through the night.

It follows a similar trial closure at Grosvenor Square car park.

Defending its decision, the council says that rough sleepers are choosing the stay in the multi-storey overnight despite "a range of alternative accommodation".

Bosses also say that new signage explaining the closures will soon be installed, and they will be informing users as well as decrementing card holders and local businesses of the changes.

Metal shutters will be used to close off the car park, and the parking services team will be "working closely" with a security firm and Hampshire Constabulary.

The trial is in place from mid-August and will last for six months, after which the council will consider the results.

The car park has a capacity for 810 spaces and is opposite ASDA and the Marlands Shopping Centre.

Environment and transport chief at the council, Jacqui Rayment, said feedback had come in from users complaining of the poor facilities.

She said: "Following on from our successful trial closure of Grosvenor Square last year, we've continued to listen to feedback from users who have complained of poor facilities and the unsafe environment at Marlands and, as a result, we've made the decision to implement these overnight closures at Marlands as well.

"Like Grosvenor Square, Marlands has previously had difficulties with anti-social behaviour, street homelessness and drug use.

"Although we are sympathetic to people who sleep rough, we want to ensure that our Marlands car park users, who pay to park there, have a safe and clean environment in which to park their vehicles.

"There are a whole range of facilities on offer to people who sleep rough in our city, including regular outreach work which encourages homeless individuals to take advantage of the services on offer to them – from accommodation through to help with alcohol or drug addiction."

Users will be able to leave their vehicles in the car park overnight but will not have access until 5.30am.

For cars accidentally locked in, there will be an emergency out-of-hours number available to call, but there will be a release fee.