Axe hangs over rugby park and ride (From Worcester News)

Axe hangs over rugby park and ride

7:10am Friday 27th August 2010 in News By David Paine, @davidpaineWN #worcsnews

Worcester Warriors and Worcestershire County Council are in a scrum over a popular park and ride service which ferries rugby fans to and from Sixways on matchdays.

The cash-strapped council has asked the rugby club to start paying for the use of County Hall’s car park - used by many supporters who hop on and off the matchday buses.

Fans can still park at County Hall tomorrow and a free bus service, run by Worcester Warriors, will stop by ahead of the club’s RFU Championship opening clash against Birmingham and Solihull.

But the future of the service is in doubt while the two parties thrash out a deal.

Services from CrownGate Bus Station and Blackpole Industrial Estate East will not be affected.

A matchday transport plan aimed at reducing the volume of traffic around the stadium, maximising the use of a bus service and keeping roads clear for non-rugby users had been agreed upon between both parties and others, including West Mercia Police, 10 years ago.

Worcestershire County Council said updated discussions with Worcester Warriors about transport arrangements had been going on since Wednesday, July 7, this year but the club claimed the decision to charge it for the use of the County Hall matchday park-and-ride had been sprung on them.

Shaun Roberts, Sixways complex manager, said it was unfortuante that the announcement by the county council had come so close to the beginning of the new season.

“Unfortunately at the 11th hour we have been informed that Worcestershire County Council now wish to charge the club for this facility, despite it having previously been agreed that it was in the interests of all concerned to remove traffic from public highways around the stadium on matchdays,” he said.

“We are disappointed with the timing of this decision and are trying to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.”

The county council is currently looking at ways to make at least £45 million savings, possibly more depending on the outcome of the Government’s comprehensive spending review.

Councillor Stephen Clee, cabinet member for corporate services, said: "It is important to stress that we are not withdrawing the park-and-ride service to Sixways and we are not withdrawing the use of the County Hall car park.

“The county council has made parking available at County Hall for a match day park-and-ride for several years as a solution to parking problems at the club. No charge had been made for this use.

“The council is happy to continue the arrangement but in light of the added financial pressures it is under now feels that a reasonable fee should be paid for the use given the increasing need to get best value for its premises and the fact that the club is a commercial concern.

“The club have not yet offered any sum for use of the facility.

“Discussions with the club have been ongoing since they approached the county council on Wednesday, July 7 and the council has offered continued use of the car park until discussions are concluded.

“The council recently made a major investment in the joint parking scheme at Sixways in partnership with the club to further alleviate parking difficulties.”