Work has started on a brand new 1,000-space park and ride scheme, designed to cut congestion and promote greener travel in Leicester.

The £5.5 million facility in Birstall is being funded by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) through the Growth Area and Community Infrastructure Funding programmes.

The project provides vital travel facilities for the adjacent Birstall housing development, where the HCA has also invested in affordable homes with Waterloo Housing Group.

-- Advertisement --

The park and ride scheme is set to open next summer and will provide a regular 15-minute bus service in and out of Leicester city centre.

East of the A6 and south of the A46, buses will link up with the 1,000-space park and ride in Enderby, to provide a better service whilst reducing costs.

Extensive landscaping will be carried out at the park and ride including over 4,000 trees, 450m of hedgrow and 9,500 shrubs.

Lesley Pendleton, County Council cabinet member for environment and transport, said: "Tackling congestion is one of our main priorities and I'm pleased that by securing funding from the government and a developer, we can build this key project at no cost to the council taxpayer."

(CD/GK)