Press
Release
Labour welcome park and ride, but has concerns over cost and location
The Labour Group on Southend-on-Sea Borough Council has
for many years called for a park and ride scheme in the town. This has often
featured in their local election manifestos.
 |
| Cllr Julian Ware-Lane |
The news that the ruling administration has finally woken
up to the idea has been welcomed by Cllr Julian Ware-Lane, Labour's
spokesperson for traffic and parking. However, Cllr Ware-Lane believes the
scheme as proposed by the Conservative administration has some shortcomings.
The scheme has the park and ride scheme at the Civic
Centre car park, with the bus ride taking one to the Kursaal. It is £3 to park
the car, and £4 for the ride.
"The scheme is too expensive", said Cllr
Ware-Lane. "£7 does not seem to be much of an incentive to abandon the
car, especially when the actual distance covered by the park and ride is only about
a mile or so. "
"I also think the choice of location is poor",
added Julian. "The town experiences huge traffic jams along the two main
arterial routes. The scheme should be implemented far closer to the borough
boundaries."
"I realise that there are issues in finding a
suitable location, but cannot believe that the site chosen is the best
available."
The evidence suggests that so far the scheme has done
little to affect, let alone lessen, the tailbacks of those heading towards the
seaside.
Compare to Chelmsford: £0 to park the car, £0 to ride your bike into the town centre. I believe that for some Park & Ride involves something called a "bus" and I don't know how much that costs the poor folk too disabled to carry on under their own power, but I believe it's something like £2.50 per passenger.
ReplyDeleteThe Civic Centre is, as the name implies, in the CENTRE of the TOWN. The purpose of P & R is to keep motor vehicles out of the town centre, for the purposes of reducing emissions and easing congestion. The Tories are planning for this to fail.