SOME of York’s largest employers have supported our campaign to Get York Moving.

The Press launched the campaign to keep pressure on the Government to approve the £25 million Access York scheme for three new Park&Ride sites.

Patrick Crowley, chief executive of York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which employs 5,000 people at York Hospital, said: “We support any developments that would improve public transport access to the hospital, and we encourage patients, visitors and staff to use public transport wherever possible.

“Despite current financial challenges, we should continue to plan with ambition and work towards our long term aspirations for the city.”

Stephen Kennedy, chief operating officer at CPP, which employs about 1,000 people in Holgate, said that improving travel in York would increase footfall which would support York businesses.

“Many people in York have experienced the frustrations of the current transport system and the congestion that results from it.”

Patrick Shepherd, deputy chairman of Shepherd Group, which employs about 600 people in the city, said the scheme was needed to uphold York’s status as a centre of employment and tourist destination. “Otherwise York’s reputation for being inconvenient and unwelcoming to many road users will become a major disincentive,” he said. “A well placed and cheap to use network of Park&Ride locations is an essential part of a properly integrated transport policy, so it is most important that funding for the extra Park&Ride car parks is given a high priority.”

Dr Paul Gibson, chief executive of PureNet, a growing digital company based at York Science Park, said he was concerned that without the scheme, York’s competitiveness would be compromised.

“We’re acutely aware of the difficulties our employees and clients face when getting into and out of the city. Without funding to support viable alternatives like Park&Ride and improvements to the existing road infrastructure, our adoption of public transport will be impacted and York will struggle to compete for enterprise with cities not just within Yorkshire, but nationwide.”

Ian Mounser, sales director of Superbreak, which employs more than 200 people, said Access York would assist its staff and provide further facilities for the thousands of tourists it brings to York each year.