The Green Party is calling for a raft of alternatives to be investigated instead, believing that the £5million plus needed for the new Park and Ride could be better spent on truly sustainable transport initiatives.

Among the alternatives the Green Party is calling on Devon County Council to investigate are a new high quality, high frequency orbital bus route linking in with existing local bus services and rail stations and key places of employment such as the hospital, University and Met Office etc; higher levels of funding for high quality rural/inter-town bus services and ‘bike and ride stations’ that would enable cyclists to link in with the orbital bus route, important points on radial bus routes and local ‘metro’ train services.

Alphington resident and Green Party candidate Andrew Bell is strongly opposed to the proposed Park and Ride scheme. He said:

“This proposal makes no sense at all. By the County Council’s own admission, the scheme will fail to address poor air quality along one of the most polluted roads in Exeter and will do nothing to alleviate congestion. The car park itself will blight a fantastic green gateway into Exeter and valuable local amenity used by local people. We need improved local transport for the residents of Exeter not a giant blot on the city’s landscape to serve car drivers from outside the city. It is quite incredible to think that Devon County Council are prepared to waste £5 million on this useless scheme at a time when they have just announced drastic cuts to bus services across Devon to the tune of £1.3 million, cutting approximately 21 of 190 services. Let’s see some really innovative and progressive sustainable transport solutions that will encourage people to choose public transport rather than the car. Ideas such as a new orbital bus route, improved bus services from towns and rural areas in other parts of Devon and ways to encourage more cycling are the kinds of things we should be looking at”.