Portsmouth tree-clad park and ride centre revealed

The scheme would see the existing car parking spaces increase from 650 to 2,650

Plans to expand Portsmouth's park and ride facilities, in an attempt to halt the decline in numbers of people using the service, have been revealed.

A seven-storey, tree-clad, transport hub would be built on the site of the existing park and ride at Tipner.

Portsmouth City Council said its plans would help "stop congestion and improve air quality".

Opposition councillors have criticised a lack of public consultation over the plans.

The park and ride service began operating at Tipner in 2014, with plans for its upgrade announced last year.

The scheme would see the existing car parking spaces increase from 650 to 2,650, as well as storage for 50 bikes, a taxi rank and a car and bike rental facility.

Updated plans show trees and plants on the building to create a "green mountain effect", and also include a restaurant and gym.

Portsmouth City Council hopes the new facility would reduce the number of car journeys into the centre of the city

Leader of the Liberal Democrat-led administration Gerald Vernon-Jackson said: "Our issue is the number of people using the park and ride has been falling each year for several years.

"We tried adding new routes like a new route into Southsea and other places but that was a complete failure.

"We need to make it more attractive to get more people in. It works reasonably well with people coming in to visit but not so much with people commuting - who are the people we want to use it."

Conservative opposition leader Donna Jones said expanding the park and ride was "good idea in itself" but added the public had been "left completely in the dark about these latest plans".

The cost of the project has not yet been revealed.