Business leaders have called for a 1,200-space park-and-ride scheme to be put back on the agenda.

The Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership wants the city council to look again at building a car park in Braypool, north Brighton, following its rejection of a smaller scheme in nearby Patcham Court Farm last week.

The decision closed the door on £19 million of Government funding for the council's transport plans.

Council officers found the Braypool scheme was technically viable but advised against it because they said its location, just inside the boundary of the proposed South Downs National Park, would make planning consent harder to win.

Garry Peltzer Dunn, leader of the Conservative group, had initially been sympathetic to the Braypool plan but came out against it after being advised the council might face costs of £1 million if it fought and lost a public inquiry.

The Economic Partnership maintains a park-and- ride is essential to safeguard the future prosperity of the city and help tackle the growing problem of traffic congestion.

Yesterday, director Tony Mernagh said he hoped the Braypool option might be revived if a future South Downs National Park Authority could be dissuaded from demanding a public inquiry.

He said: "If the authority was supportive, it may not lead to a public inquiry. We have no reason to believe the authority would refuse Braypool if it was shown it would service the needs of the park. It's not too late for Braypool. The city desperately needs park-and-ride."

The authority, which has yet to be created, would not be established until, or unless, a national park was set up - something which is not expected until at least 2007. The South Downs Joint Committee, an interim body which champions conservation of the South Downs, was unavailable for comment yesterday.

But Chris Todd, of Friends of the Earth, described the partnership's idea as "barmy".

He said: "There is no way other national parks would countenance a 1,000-space car park being built inside them. Any benefit it might gain would be more than offset by the extra traffic it would bring."

The Labour group on the city council, whose hopes for a compromise 450-space scheme in Patcham Court Farm were dashed after Tories, Greens and Liberal Democrats combined to defeat the proposal last Wednesday, said it was too early to comment in detail on future plans.

Transport councillor Craig Turton said: "While I'm pleased the Economic Partnership continues to support park-and-ride, it is too early to discuss whether or not we would consider proposing alternative locations.

"We will continue to seek solutions to reduce congestion and pollution."

Tuesday, December 13, 2005