New charges at park and ride as challenge fails

A plan to introduce charges at a free park and ride site with hundreds of spaces will go ahead after a challenge failed.

Plymouth City Council wants to bring in a maximum charge of £3.50 a day for anyone who parks at the George park and ride site on the outskirts of the city for more than six hours.

The Labour-run council said it was introducing the charges as a growing number of people were using the site for parking but without using the park and ride service.

Councillors from the Conservatives and the Green Party forced a debate on the issue calling for the proposals to go back to be re-examined by council cabinet members but that was voted down.

The George park and ride is on the A386 Tavistock Road - one of the busiest routes in and out of Plymouth - and is near Derriford Hospital.

Announcing the policy at the beginning of September, John Stephens, council cabinet member for strategic planning and transport, said the "intended use has become blurred and more people are parking there all day but not necessarily catching the bus".

More than 800 people took part in a public consultation, with 787 (98%) against the new charges and 17 (2%) in favour.

People who park at the site from Monday to Friday for more than six hours will have to pay £3.50 from June 2027.

Lauren McLay, leader of the Greens on Plymouth City Council, said the council needed to work with the hospital "to identify and start to realise long-term solutions".

Councillors were told it was impossible for bus users to automatically get free parking because there were various bus operators at the site.

McLay said: "Up and down the country councils are able to twin your bus ticket with free parking so I'm really confused by why we can't do that here in Plymouth."

Chris Wood, leader of the Conservatives on the city council, has also opposed the plans, claiming the new charges would be "an outrageous burden to place on working people, particularly when the car park itself has already been paid for by taxpayers".

The issue was discussed by members of the scrutiny management board.

Stephens said the charges would go ahead but there would be none on Saturdays and Sundays.

He said the council wanted to go back to the park and ride being primarily used by people parking at the site and using buses, as opposed to people parking there and walking to work at Derriford Hospital.

He added: "We will continue to engage with the NHS because there are many staff who work at Derriford Hospital nearby who use the car park."

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