A proposed park and ride facility with up to 500 parking spaces in Llanbradach has been criticised by Plaid Cymru councillors.
The proposals are aimed at improving the existing railway station’s “totally unsuitable” ten spaces, according to a report put before Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet.
Plaid group leader and Llanbradach councillor Colin Mann said: “To propose such a vast site is way out of proportion. There are only a handful of spaces currently available but where is the evidence that there is demand for a development of this size? This proposal is completely unacceptable as it stands.
“We are also disappointed that Caerphilly council officers failed to inform the ward councillors of this proposal before the information was relayed to the media. This is unacceptable and we should not have been kept in the dark.”
A new rail halt would have to be built to connect the new site and the station, but these plans will be subject to a feasibility study which requires £150,000 in match funding from the council.
Cllr Rob Gough, the Plaid group’s transport spokesperson, said: “Since 2002 when first discussions on a park and ride started it was only 250 spaces were proposed spaces and an exhibition was held in the village. To learn about proposals to provide 500 spaces came as quite a surprise it would be the largest park and ride site in the county borough. This could mean more than 1,000 plus vehicle movements a day on a very short stretch of road.”
Cllr Gough added: “What is being proposed would cause traffic problems permanently a minimum of five days a week. Colin (Mann) and I met with officers on Monday (February 11), who are leading on delivering the feasibility study, to express our concerns. At this moment no one knows what the site is capable of coping with. As the site has been used since the 1960s for recreational purpose, we are insisting that some kind of recreation provision is included in the study.”
The report has also revealed plans to build a four-star hotel near Caerphilly Castle, as well as plans to expand Oakdale Business Park.
Responding to the criticism, deputy leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, Sean Morgan said: “The Council’s cross-party Regeneration Project Board was set up to progress schemes that could take advantage of regeneration investment opportunities.
Councillor Gough is one of the five members of the cross-party Board and was at the Project Board meeting in January where members recommended the scheme to be put forward as one of the priorities for developing funding.
“This principal, like the other two, is at feasibility work stage, with Cabinet recently approving the £150,000 bid to match fund a Regional Transport Bid for resources to enable feasibility and design work to be undertaken on the proposal.”
Cllr Morgan added: “It’s surprising that the ward councillors feel they have been kept in the dark and were surprised to learn of the proposal.
“As well as Councillor Gough being a member of the Board that actually recommended the scheme to progress to feasibility stage, this very proposal also forms part of the Caerphilly Basin Masterplan which is a public document that was the subject of widespread consultation prior to its approval in July last year.”