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Sunday, 14th March 2010

Park and ride closed until weather improves

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Watch a snow plough clearing the snow in January at the car park hardly anyone uses
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Published Date:
09 February 2010
Preston's £2.5million 'white elephant' park and ride will stay closed until the weather gets better, Lancashire's road chief has said.
The gates on the Bluebell Way facility in Fulwood are still locked shut after Lancashire County Hall bosses said they did not have enough grit to ensure it was safe during the recent cold snap.

It is now due to stay closed with more cold weather expected in the coming days, despite Preston's other park and rides remaining open.

It comes as negotiations continue with Royal Preston Hospital and Preston North End to see whether staff or football fans could make use of the site.

Dialogue has also been opened with BAE Systems, which is considering using the facility as a staff car park with a shuttle to its Samlesbury site.

County Coun Keith Young, cabinet member for highways and transport at County Hall, said: "One of the reasons it is locked up is we are still under the Government's audit not to grit or prepare to keep clear other than 40-45% of our trunk roads.

"The officers advised me it would make sense to leave it closed.

"We are looking at the bus service and we are looking in what ways we can make the site more attractive.

"It is my intention and the intention of the highways officers to do all we can to make it into a viable investment."

Asked if the facility would reopen given a period of good weather, he added: "I'm sure it will."

With more freezing weather expected this week, Coun Young said the council was "still not anywhere near back to a safe level" of grit and stocks were still being conserved.

Grit bins are not being refilled as doing so would need 800 tonnes of salt alone, he added.

County Coun Jennifer Mein, Labour group leader at Lancashire County Hall, said: "I don't quite understand the logic of not having it open in case of a cold snap.

"I'm in full support of the negotiations with the hospital and Preston North End.

"I would like to see a bus running off there on to the employment estate and into town."

Last month, the notorious empty park-and-ride was cleared of piles of snow – while other city streets remained an icy hazard.

Highways bosses sent a snow plough to clear the 548-space facility at Bluebell Way in Fulwood, which has only attracted a handful of drivers since it opened in May last year.

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1

Joe Wilkins,

09/02/2010 08:55:32
That's strange. The park ride was one of the first places to be cleared of snow while cars were crashing left right and centre on the local roads. Now it's not even snowing and the site is closed. Not that anyone cares, seeing as it's always empty.
2

Lord Lovat,

Preston 09/02/2010 09:38:55
What an absolute joke. If this is the stance of the council then maybe for health and safety reasons all companies in Preston who provide car parking should close their car parks too during this cold spell!
3

Real Matt,

09/02/2010 11:33:26
Well, I saw 2 cars parked on the site a few weeks ago. (Must be starting to show some sort of profit now!)
4

Mr Realist,

Just down the road 09/02/2010 12:44:26
I pass this twice a day. I do not exagerate when I say that I have not seen 1 car parked on this site. It must be a huge embarrassment to the council.

Pragmatically it would be cheaper to keep it closed permanently. The site is obviously innapropriate as the public have not seen to use it at all, not once. At least you would save on the maintenance and CCTV contracts. I would not be suprised if it stayed closed until it is re-developed into something useful

5

Fat Bloke,

Leyland 09/02/2010 19:12:42
Didn't realise anyone used it even when it was open!
6

PrestonChris,

Fulwood 09/02/2010 19:56:46
I often thought that's the best way to go about something , spend loads of money on building it then try and find a use for it AFTERWARDS ....

why has no-one been sacked over this debacle ??
7

My Knees Have Gone,

09/02/2010 21:22:35
Its closed until the weather improves?? What has it got, its own frosty micro-climate?

I bet its customer is very disappointed.
8

rockyracoon,

10/02/2010 16:49:29
I bet the gypsys are disappointed.
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