Park and ride project aiming to improve city traffic bottleneck

Blueprints for a new park and ride development on the outskirts of the city at Wigginton Road are expected to be approved by councillors next week, the third such project to be drawn up under a wide-ranging congestion strategy.

The two other schemes at Upper Poppleton and Askham Bar have already secured planning permission, although the Wigginton Road development is seen as a key element to boosting public transport links to the city centre.

It will provide bus services for York Hospital's staff and relatives and friends of patients as well as shoppers travelling to stores on the nearby Clifton Moor retail park.

York Council's executive member for city strategy, Steve Galloway, said: "The city will see significant improvements as a result of these park and ride schemes, which are vital to helping reduce traffic congestion.

"The Wigginton Road scheme itself will help alleviate some of the traffic problems on the roads surrounding the hospital, which can be particularly chaotic.

"It is a particularly important scheme as it will serve a route into the city centre which can be badly affected by traffic congestion, and is part of a wider strategy to help reduce the number of vehicles on the city's roads."

It is estimated that the number of vehicles on York's roads could increase by as much as 28 per cent by 2021, and councillors admit that continuing with existing transport policies is not an option.

The city's existing park and ride facilities have proved extremely successful and now rank as some of the most widely used in the country.

The Government has approved a 25m funding package for the development of the three park and ride schemes. A further 3m in funding will be provided by York Council, developers and the sale of the existing Askham Bar park and ride site, which is due to be relocated and doubled in size.

The Wigginton Road scheme will see a 600-space park and ride facility created along with a passenger terminal building.

The council's planning officers have confirmed that the proposed park and ride site will help alleviate congestion on the roads network to the north of the city.

Buses will run from the notorious bottleneck on Gillygate, past the hospital and up to the park and ride site, before heading to Clifton Moor and looping back into the city centre.

Research has shown that Wiggington Road, the B1363, is a particular traffic blackspot as it is used as an alternative route by motorists travelling from the A19 into the city.

The proposed scheme is envisaged to reduce traffic flows into the city centre along Wigginton Road by about a fifth when the park and ride facility is fully operational, as well as improving air pollution and reducing congestion on neighbouring roads.

While the Upper Poppleton scheme provoked widespread opposition from residents living nearby, the proposals for the Wigginton Road park and ride site have proved to be less contentious.

Parish councils representing Rawcliffe and Clifton Without have not raised any major objections, although some concerns have been expressed over access to the site for both cyclists and pedestrians.

Council officers noted that the site earmarked for the development falls within green belt land, but they maintain that the park and ride scheme complies with planning regulations.

The Wigginton Road development will go before York Council's planning committee on Thursday next week.