Agenda item

To consider a report on the proposed Coppid Beech Park and Ride and its associated business plan.

The Committee considered a report, set out in agenda pages 193 to 242, which outlined the strategic outline business case for the proposed Coppid Beech Park and Ride.

The report outlined the following key points:

·           The park and ride had formed a part of WBC’s core strategy since 2010;

·           The land has been allocated for a park and ride scheme;

·           The park and ride’s main focus would be for the use of existing bus services, with an approximate 4 services per hour into Wokingham town centre;

·           The current business case did not currently propose a route to Reading;

·           The benefit cost ratio was ‘over 2’ on the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which would allow a full business case to be developed and brought forward in future.

David Sleight queried why the cost per space of the proposed park and ride was less than the cost per space of the existing Thames Valley Park (TVP) and Ride. Tom Beck, Highways & Transport Consultant, stated that the TVP park and ride had undulating ground and therefore had additional costs in making the land fit for purpose.

David Sleight queried the viability of the proposed park and ride using only existing bus services. Tom Beck, Highways & Transport Consultant, stated that the main focus of the proposed park and ride was a transport service to the Wokingham town centre. He added that approximately four buses per hour would pass through the site, and WBC would cooperate with Reading Buses to explore other potential bus services using the proposed site. Tom stated that parking provision in the Wokingham town centre was constrained, and the proposed park and ride would residents another option to access the town centre.

Rachel Burgess asked what evidence was available that showed that people would switch to using a park and ride service. Tom Beck stated that evidence showed that approximately ten percent of people paying for parking (in the Wokingham town centre) would switch to use the proposed park and ride.

Members raised concerns over the viability of the proposed park and ride scheme should it only use existing bus services.

Matt Gould, Lead Specialist - Highways & Transport, stated that the business case would be scrutinised by 3^rd parties and the LEP was committed to the scheme, dependant on the next business case. Matt added that the current indications were that the proposed scheme was viable, and that it linked with the other major highways infrastructure projects proposed within the core strategy.

Mike Haines noted the structure of other local park and ride schemes, and queried whether the proposed scheme would provide the same level of infrastructure. Tom Beck stated that there were ‘different tiers’ of park and rides, and that the relatively small distance between the town centre and the proposed park and ride would therefore require less services than a comparatively larger park and ride.

The Committee were concerned with a variety of aspects of the current business case, and asked that the next business case came back to the Committee.

RESOLVED That:

1)     Matt Gould and Tom Beck be thanked for attending the Committee;

2)     Democratic Services liaise with the Highways team to keep the Committee informed on the development of the next business case;

3)     the next business case be brought back to the Committee in the next municipal year;

4)     the report and associated strategic outline business case be noted.