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FoE upset by park and ride costs
GREEN activists say the cost
of building Winchester's second
park and ride site has
soared by 40 per cent to
£7.1m.
Hampshire County Council
has confirmed the price tag,
and admits that it has
increased, but says the rise is
nearer 20 per cent, and that
early estimates were based
on a different site.
Winchester Friends of the
Earth, which made the claim,
said the cash should be spent
on public transport.
At present, the county
council gives £508,000 annually
towards buses in Winchester.
Environmentalists say the
£7.1m allocated to the park
and ride could cover the subsidy
for at least a decade.
They also believe that the
proposed park and ride
scheme, near junction 11 of
the M3, will be counter-productive.
Instead of reducing the
vehicles entering Winchester,
it believes that numbers will
rise.
Its argument is based on
commuters using the park
and ride scheme, freeing up
city centre spaces, and
attracting more short-stay visitors.
Chris Gillham, of Winchester
FoE, said: "We know that
despite assurances, over 25
years, to reduce central car
parking in Winchester, no
such action has been taken."
He said council chiefs
should reduce city centre
parking when the 864-space
venue at Hockley Link opens,
which is due to happen in
mid 2010.
He added: "The county
council, by giving unqualified
approval to the city for yet
another traffic-generating car
park, has given it carte
blanche to carry on business
as usual, which means more
traffic, more carbon, and
more air pollution."
In the past, county council
chiefs championed park and
ride as a way to make transport
greener.
A council spokeswoman
added that the initial estimated
cost was based on the Badger
Farm Road plans.
Since then, building and
material costs had risen, and
several additions had been
made to the scheme.
They included new road
signs, extra barriers at the car
park, replacing streetlights,
and widening and resurfacing
Bushfield Camp roundabout nearby.
11:29am Thursday 1st May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Wills, soton on 7:03am Sat 3 May 08
How much longer do we have to listen or read about green policies. It is a dead subject.
1. UN scientists state No mean temperature change since 1998.
2. The Polar bear emotional blackmail - Canadian government say some areas a reduction others and increase in poulation, overall - no change'
3. No mean temperature change for next ten years, now it is known that sea movements flucuate, well I never ! Green - it is quack science.
How much longer do we have to listen or read about green policies. It is a dead subject.
1. UN scientists state No mean temperature change since 1998.
2. The Polar bear emotional blackmail - Canadian government say some areas a reduction others and increase in poulation, overall - no change'
3. No mean temperature change for next ten years, now it is known that sea movements flucuate, well I never ! Green - it is quack science.
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