Park and Ride - TrustNews February 1991
The Trust is taking a keen interest in the Movement & Access Study which has been undertaken jointly by Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council in order to assess the current traffic and access problems in and around Winchester. Various studies have been made of which probably the most important was on Park and Ride by independent consultants from the Oxford Polytechnic, who are regarded as the leading authorities on the subject in this country. Their report concludes that there is strong potential for a Park and Ride scheme in Winchester provided that it is part of a coherent and integrated traffic strategy, and the authors state that" the question is not if Park and Ride should be introduced but rather when and how".
The Movement & Access Study Working Party have made a number of recommendations which include a feasibility study both for a pilot and a permanent Park and Ride Scheme, and the introduction of a pilot scheme within the next three years, and also an overall review of parking provisions in the centre of Winchester. These recommendations have been accepted by Winchester City Council.
The Trust is delighted with these developments. We have long advocated a study of Park and Ride by independent consultants and some time ago offered to make a financial contribution. When the Movement & Access Study was instituted, we reiterated our offer and have now contributed £2,500 towards the cost of the study by Oxford Polytechnic, and perhaps equally importantly have been able to make some contribution towards the original terms of reference for the report and to comment on its findings.
We commend the County and the City for making a real effort to tackle not only the present but the future traffic related problems of Winchester.
We have arranged for Peter Headicar, one of the joint authors of the Oxford Polytechnic study, to give a talk about Park and Ride in Winchester on 14 May. Details can be found in the Programme in this Newsletter.