RELIEF could be in sight for thousands of long-suffering commuters as York looks set to secure £21 million for three new Park&Ride sites.

The Regional Transport Board is being advised to approve the Access York bid next week following a campaign by City of York Council, which was backed by The Press.

The congestion-busting boost for York's transport system would increase the number of Park&Ride spaces in the city from 3,750 to 5,700, taking hundreds of cars off the roads every hour.

The Askham Bar Park&Ride site would double to 1,250 spaces - it is currently used by 600,000 passengers a year and is normally full by 10am.

Another 750 spaces would also be created at a new site on the A59 near Poppleton while a 500-space site would open in Wigginton Road, near Clifton Moor, which would also serve York Hospital.

Damon Copperthwaite, the council's assistant director for city strategy and transport, said work would get under way immediately if the bid was approved, and the three sites should be operating by 2011.

As part of the work, a bigger roundabout would also be built on the outer ring road at the A59 and A1237 junction, while priority bus lanes would be created in Wigginton Road and Boroughbridge Road.

Council leader Steve Galloway, who will be attending next Friday's meeting, said it was "great news for our city".

"I am delighted that Yorkshire Regional Assembly officers are recommending this huge investment in the city's transport infrastructure," he said.

"I am grateful to The Press and its readers for fully supporting the Access York bid. I am sure that those petitioning have influenced regional thinking and fortunately, on this occasion, it looks like there will be something to show for readers' efforts."

Coun Galloway added: "Potentially these new facilities will take hundreds of congestion-causing car trips off our roads each hour and will complete the circle of Park&Ride sites available to those visiting the city.

Space invaders

York has 3,750 spaces in its Park&Ride network. By 2011, there will be 5,700:

* Grimston Bar - 900
* Rawcliffe - 1,000
* Monks Cross - 750
* McArthur Glen Designer Outlet - 550
* Askham Bar - 1,250
* A59 - 750
* Wigginton Road - 500

"Park&Ride has been one of our biggest success stories in recent times with around four million passenger journeys being made each year.

"This additional capacity will allow the system to attract even more users reducing the number of vehicles in and around our city. If agreed, this will be the largest public transport project ever implemented in the city. Hopefully, within a couple of years you will see work starting."

Coun Andy D'Agorne, of the Green Party, also welcomed the news but questioned what the impact would be on other transport schemes for the city.

"It is certainly good news that there's support for public transport, but I wouldn't like to see other improvements to walking, cycling and highways in the city shelved as a result," he said.

Access campaign

The Press Access York campaign called on the Government to throw its weight behind York’s planned bid for cash to fund three new Park&Ride sites.

We urged readers to back our petition, appealing for Government support for the city’s proposed bid for £160 million that could be used to dual some of the congested outer ring road.

We also appealed for the Government to back a proposed Highways Agency bid for funding to upgrade the Hopgrove Roundabout.

His Green Party colleague Coun Dave Taylor said: "We approve of Park&Ride as part of the way in which we can make York more accessible to commuters and visitors without them bringing cars into the city. We are very much in favour of measures such as these to increase use of public transport."

Also up for agreement is an innovative Yorcard (smartcard) system allowing passengers to use a single card payment method for all bus, rail, tram and community transport journeys across Yorkshire and Humberside. This is expected to cost the Government £28 million.

Another scheme, which could benefit York commuters accessing Leeds, is a 500-place park- and-rail site which would replace the current Micklefield railway station However, the future of the Hopgrove roundabout improvement hangs in the balance with it being grouped as "a third priority" scheme in the officer's assessment on what offers value for money. Currently it is not recommended for approval because of the region's limited transport budget.


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