Commuters in Horsham are to get two more park-and-ride schemes - despite an existing one standing half empty.

At 2.30pm yesterday, three quarters of the car park was empty, while on Monday there were fewer than 30 cars using the area at Hop Oast, Worthing Road, Horsham, which is designed to take 467.

The scheme, launched on October 16 to encourage commuters to park outside town and catch a bus, has not proved as popular as councillors hoped.

Yet plans to build two more schemes to the north and the east of the town are being considered for the future.

Councillor David Jenkins, Cabinet member for strategic planning and transport at Horsham District Council, said: "It is bound to take some time to work itself in.

"It isn't good having one at the southern end of the town when people are still struggling to come in at the north and east ends of the town.

"I can't say it is a huge success. It will take time but it is working. I want more people to use it and I think more people are going to use it."

Coun Jenkins said there were 147 cars using the facility the Saturday after it was launched, although the number did fluctuate during the week.

The scheme costs drivers £1.50 a day to park and includes a return journey to Horsham town centre or station for the driver and up to four passengers.

Coun Jenkins said the scheme had been funded entirely by money from West Sussex County Council and planning agreements with developers.

He said: "This Parking is secure and cheap and takes them to the train."

Campaigners believe the scheme could work but the council has not taken a long-term view and any second or third park-and-ride scheme would take years to implement.

Alan Murray, of Horsham Against Parking Insanity (HOPI), a pressure group set up to represent businesses, said: "If they were here now we would love it but it will take years to do it.

"In the meantime we are in a ludicrous situation, where people coming from Crawley have to travel right the way round the outside of the town and people coming from the east have to go through the town centre."

Mr Murray said residents would not mind so much if the scheme was voluntary but plans to introduce parking permits around the station would force people to use park-and-ride.