Park Place aims to ease parking pain

GOL approval is the last remaining planning fhurdle for Park Place which includes a new home for Allders department store, new offices for Nestl, a bus interchange, overhaul of the Queen's Gardens, and revised traffic layout at Fairfield.

Now the developers Minerva Plc are proposing to invest L6million in a unique transport initiative fund known as "intoCroydon" to promote public transport and deliver improvements for walkers, cyclists, bus passengers, tram users and motorists.

The scheme's arrival is expected to result in a seven per cent increase in visitors by car, but Minerva are planning a nine per cent reduction in car trips through "intoCroydon" reducing local congestion, pollution and travel times.

The "intoCroydon" transport fund will finance discounted or free travel on public transport based on shoppers' expenditure within Park Place and provide comprehensive transport information to improve accessibility.

Significant increases in bus use are expected with the creation of a major new bus interchange and several bus only and bus priority routes.

The tram stop on George Street outside Park Place will also be enlarged to enhance passenger flow.

The Park Place car park will make 1,901 more spaces available to the public, but the number is only sufficient to handle peak time demand and avoids an increase in congestion and pollution due to cars queuing outside car parks.

Other pollution busting measures include improvements to the A232/Park Lane gyratory to reduce congestion with wide pedestrian/cycle crossings at road level, and real time roadside messaging of available parking within the eleven town centre car parks.

A GOL decision on Park Place is expected next month.