Councillors set to approve car park land purchases

York Council is faced with a pressing need to make a decision on buying the land for the two developments at Poppleton Bar and Askham Bar before the end of the month. The two new sites will cost a total of £22m and will bolster the city’s existing park-and-ride network which has been vital in countering traffic tailbacks in one of Yorkshire’s congestion hotpots.

The options for the purchase expire on March 31 and landowners are understood to be unwilling to extend the deal under the original conditions.

Council leader James Alexander said: “The land options for council purchase lapse at the end of this month so I will be supporting the purchases prior to this date to ensure we can get moving with plans for these new park and ride sites, which all political groups support. The delay resulted from the Government’s suspension of the major scheme programme, but now it is confirmed, there’s no reason to delay schemes that will lead to a reduction in congestion on some of York’s main access routes, which is good news for the city.”

Councillors are due to approve the land purchase when they meet on Monday. The exact cost has not been disclosed as it is deemed to be commercially sensitive. The number of sites had to be reduced from three to two before the Government approved the plans in November. Westminster will now pay about 70 per cent of the overall cost. The council has stressed the third park-and-ride scheme at Clifton Moor could be revived if funding is secured.