A MOTORIST has attacked the price of a Park & Ride ticket in York, after discovering that the equivalent service in Scarborough is much cheaper.

William Smith, of Dunnington, said he and his wife visited the coastal resort recently and were surprised to find that it only cost 80p each for a return Park & Ride ticket from Weaponess Valley Road car park to the centre of the town.

York charges £1.80 for a return ticket to the city centre from its five Park & Ride sites - the last of which opened earlier this week at Monks Cross.

"Why is it that a place like Scarborough, which relies much more than York on seasonal visitors, can afford a service at less than half that charged by our greedy council?" asked Mr Smith.

"The distances from the two car parks to the centre of town are almost identical in length, so why the difference?"

"The last time we used the Grimston Bar service, we paid £1.60 each return."

Mr Smith's comments echo calls by traders in Fossgate, who are involved in the campaign to scrap evening and on-street parking charges and reduce day-time charges.

The traders have also called for the cost of Park & Ride to be reduced to encourage families and larger groups to use the service.

But Coun Ann Reid, executive member for planning and transport at City of York Council, said prices of Park & Ride varied greatly across the country. She said the tram equivalent in Sheffield cost £3, while Hull was slightly cheaper than York's.

She said that while York's Park & Ride sites were set up with funding assistance from the Government, they were run as a self-financing service by First without any extra subsidy from the taxpayer.

She said they had been hugely successful in controlling the amount of traffic, congestion and pollution on the city's streets.

Peter Edwards, First commercial manager, said the service represented good value, particularly for commuters in single occupancy cars, who would otherwise pay considerably more to park in the city centre.

He said that even for a family of four, the price would still come to only £3.60, with children under 16 travelling free.

He said York's Park & Ride was a major success story.

:: How York compares with other cities on Park & Ride charges

York (five sites) £1.80 return (adult). Under 16s free

Chester (four sites) £1.30 return (adult). Under 16s free

Hull: (two sites) £1.50 return and £1 return (adult). Under 16s free.

Durham (one site - Saturday only. £1 per car, buses free

Cambridge (five sites) £1.80 return. (adult) Under 16s free

Oxford (four sites) £1.80 return (adult) Under 16s free

Updated: 08:25 Thursday, July 15, 2004