Bus Firm Wants Park and Ride Site For Staff Car Park

The death knell for one of Poole's park and ride schemes appears to have sounded with the news that the town's under-used Creekmoor site could soon have a new lease of life – ironically, as a car park for bus company staff.

Local bus operator Wilts & Dorset has asked permission to use the Creekmoor park and ride site as a private car park for 50 of their employees.

According to a report to Poole Borough Council, the site has never been fully used for a public service and costs around £15,000 a year to maintain.

Wilts & Dorset's interest appears to have prompted the council to seek to modify some of the site's planning conditions to allow other temporary uses on the site, presumably including parking for bus company staff.

I understand the council's head of transportation services Julian McLaughlin says in a report to the council’s transportation advisory group that conditions were 'not currently favourable' for a public park and ride, and that in the meantime it would make sense to encourage other uses on the site either for community use or commercial gain.

I say 'understand' because I couldn't actually find the report on the Council's website, so I haven't been able to confirm these remarks.

So I dipped further into the Poole Borough Council website to see what I could find out about the Creekmoor Park and Ride, but I found it all rather confusing. From what I could see, it seems to be mostly hospital and council parking anyway, and if there is a public service it only operates on Saturday's before Christmas.

Is that right?

If not, then might this not explain why the whole thing is so under-used?