Lib Dem 'leg Work' May Bring Park And Ride To Worthing!

9.51.42am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 25th Jul 2008

Following a Cabinet meeting last week at which the Council told local Lib Dems that Park and Ride was not possible in Worthing because developers were not interested in providing a suitable site, and bus companies were not interested in providing the transport, the Lib Dems have gone out and found a possible solution to the problem, which could help encourage shoppers back into Worthing despite prohibitive car park charges in the town centre.

Cllr Bob Smytherman, Shadow Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said:

"We have talked to a local bus company who believe they can run a Park and Ride service at no cost to the council - an important point when budgets are already stretched; and we have identified that Sainsbury's at Lyons Farm and Tescos at West Durrington are both edge of town sites from where we can effectively run Park and Ride and where there is already enthusiasm from the companies concerned about working with the council on this. We believe that helping the environment and helping the town's economy can be done together with a good park and ride scheme, where Worthing has lagged behind its competition for a long time."

Cllr James Doyle, Leader of the Worthing Lib Dem group: said:

"The Conservatives showed a deep lack of ambition for Worthing by looking no further than Teville Gate for a Park and Ride scheme - a site which would not have encouraged anyone to use it, or discouraged car movements in and out of the town centre. In a very short time, the Lib Dems have been able to show that with some 'get up and go' , we can get Worthing moving again - and we hope that the Conservatives will follow the leads we have given them and bring the scheme forward as soon as possible."