The Council has reiterated its support to build a new Askham Bar Park and Ride following a request from the Government to resubmit the bid with an increased subsidy from the local taxpayer. The Wigginton Road site has been shelved but Poppleton and Askham Bar are still in the running for government funding.

The Council has now agreed to put in £6 million with about half of that likely to be borrowed. That means an annual cost of about £270,000 a year with this potentially being offset by the surplus fares income, which may be generated from the Askham Bar and Poppleton Bar sites combined.

A lot will depend on the specification for the new bus fleet which will serve these sites. The original intention was to seek ultra low emission vehicles (probably plug in hybrids) but this may not now be possible.

Residents in Moor Lane will be wondering what the future of the existing park and ride car park will be when the site moves to Sim Hills. Originally it was assumed that Tesco would buy the site as an extension to their car park however the figures assumed by the new Council suggest that some development on the site is a possibility (subject to planning consent).

So still a lot of questions to be answered if the project gets its formal “go ahead” by central government at the end of the year.