PLANS for York's sixth Park&Ride, serving the A59 corridor, were unveiled by City of York Council today.

Residents will have the choice of five sites where the new service, catering for the north west of the city, could be sited.

It was also revealed today that any possible scheme could also have the potential for a "park and rail" feature with the new site being linked by a new rail halt to the York to Harrogate line.

The council hopes the proposed Park&Ride will initially remove as many as 750 cars from York's roads every day.

The facility is a key element of the council's £50 million local transport plan. It has been brought forward because the council's transport planners have identified the need for early congestion relief on the A59 corridor.

The proposal aims to build on the success of other schemes in city, which have seen 2,500 cars removed from York streets every day. The five potential sites, identified by the council, are all located on the outer ring road near the A59/A1237 junction. These will now be the subject of a public consultation to help pick a preferred site.

Sites A, E (with expansion onto part of C) and then C are the choice of council officers, but they now want to hear what the public thinks.

Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, the council's executive member for transport, said: "This is an important part of our five-year plan to reduce traffic levels by providing an alternative and sustainable transport system that people will want to use.

"York already has a great record of success in delivering sustainable transport solutions, including Park&Ride facilities, and we know that 74 per cent of residents want more Park&Ride services in York.

"The new Park&Ride service is expected to bring relief to the already busy Harrogate route and play a major part in reducing journey times to York and potentially the York Central development behind the railway station."

Bill Woolley, assistant director of environment and development services, added: "This will be the sixth Park&Ride scheme. We are currently trying to establish the fifth at Monks Cross.

"This scheme will go to a city-wide consultation and we are looking to bring it on stream in 2005. We don't anticipate traffic on the A59 being a problem."

Updated: 10:47 Friday, September 27, 2002