FRESH plans for a third Aberdeen park and ride site could be put before councillors this month.

An application for a new site at Dyce is to go to Aberdeen City Council’s planning committee.

The Aberdeen park and ride scheme would be for up to 1,000 cars.

A site was originally given planning permission in 2002, but this was put on hold because of the proposed city bypass.

Plans for a new park and ride in Dyce are to be discussed by the authority’s policy and strategy committee at a meeting on Tuesday

Dyce councillor and the authority’s transport spokesman Ron Clark said: “I think the park and ride at Dyce has the potential to be more successful than the site at Kingswells.”

In the past there had been criticism of park and ride sites for dwindling numbers.

In 2006, the Kingswells park and ride site was only one third full – although council bosses said the numbers were now rising. Last year there were 72,227 visitors – a rise of 13% from 2007.

The cost of the park and ride is expected to be £12 million – although not all of the cash is coming from the council’s coffers.

The new park and ride at Dyce would include an accommodation block and bike lockers for people cycling into the city centre.

Aberdeen City Council also manages a park and ride at Bridge of Don. Last year the site had 168,619 visitors, which a council spokeswoman said was a 2% reduction on the previous year.

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By Neil Evanspolitical reporter

Published: 03/06/2009