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COUNCIL SET TO POUR EXTRA £70,000 INTO PARK AND RIDE `FLOP'

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Published Date: 16 March 2006
A PARK and ride scheme that was branded an expensive flop last year is to receive an extra £70,000 of council funding over the next two years.
The Lakeside park and ride scheme, based at the Vue cinema car park on Herten Way, was launched in September 2004 offering motorists the chance to park for free and buy a £1 return ticket into the town centre.
But a Free Press investigation revealed
that just 14 people used the site in the first six months of 2005 - and opponents claim that, by continuing to fund the scheme, Doncaster Council is throwing good money after bad.
Coun Eric Tatton-Kelly (Lib Dem) said: "Whenever you drive past that park and ride, the car park is empty. Nobody is using it.
"It was pointed out last year that it has already cost £150 per person who has parked there, and yet it is getting an extra £70,000 over two years. For whom? Nobody catches that bus."
Coun Tatton-Kelly raised the issue at last week's budget-setting meeting of the full council, but did not receive a specific response on why the scheme was being persevered with.
When the number of motorists using the scheme was revealed last year, Doncaster Council stressed that the park and ride was not set up to make a profit and mayor Martin Winter urged drivers to use the service as an easy and convenient way to travel into the town centre.
The mayor said then: "Options are being looked at for the park and ride, but in the meantime I strongly encourage drivers to use this as an easy and convenient way to travel into the town centre."
But the council was unavailable for comment on the park and ride scheme this week.



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  • Last Updated: 16 March 2006 9:27 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Doncaster
 
 
 


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