Odd Down park-and-ride site expansion complete

Additional park-and-ride spaces are aimed at reducing congestion in the city centre

A park-and-ride site for people travelling into Bath has been expanded to offer an additional 230 spaces.

Odd Down park-and-ride is part of a £27m scheme which will include expansions at Lansdown and Newbridge sites next year.

When complete there will be 870 new spaces - taking the total to 2,860 spaces - in the Bath and North East Somerset Council area.

Nearly 50,000 cars enter Bath every weekday, council figures show.

"It is frustrating for workers and visitors who want to use Bath and North East Somerset Council's park-and-ride service but discover the car park is full early in the day," said councillor Roger Symonds (Lib-Dem, Combe Down).

'Landmark day'

"The completion of the expansion of Odd Down is a landmark day which helps make this problem a thing of the past.

"Because we will capture more cars travelling to the city from outside, this should reduce the pressure on the city centre network, improve air quality and make the road environment safer for people on bicycles and on foot."

Tickets for the park and ride service cost £3.00 for a return on Mondays to Fridays and £2.50 for a return on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.

The expansion has been welcomed by the city's business community.

"We believe an improved public transport network is essential if our area is to create new jobs for local people, so the completion of the Odd Down park and ride expansion is a step in the right direction," said Ian Bell, Director of the Bath Chamber of Commerce.