Plans to increase the amount of park and ride spaces at four West Midlands rail stations by 70 per cent could be brought forward.
Councillors on the policy-setting Passenger Transport Authority are expected today to move expansion of the car parks at Acocks Green, Chester Road, Wylde Green and Whitlock?s End stations from 2008 to this year.
?More Birmingham commuters now use public transport than travel to work in their car and our park and ride schemes make an important contribution to that congestion-busting statistic,? said PTA chairman Coun Gary Clarke (Con Streetly).
The four car parks being considered for expansion already have a combined total of more than 260 spaces.
The PTA wants its executive Centro to add almost 200 extra spaces as soon as funding becomes available, rather than waiting another three years.
A #1.4 million investment would also involve CCTV monitored from a regional control centre, help points, public address, fencing and lighting.
The executive claims park and ride schemes are already taking more than two million car journeys a year off the region?s congested roads.
Meanwhile, a report to the PTA shows building costs inflation, scheme revisions and the general construction industry climate have led companies to submit higher than expected prices for several key projects.
The Centro report reveals that one in ten projects have seen costs rise by enough to force officials to take action.
?These are not overspends, but we do need to get budget estimates as close as possible to the actual price so that we can plan the most effective use of public money,? said Coun Paul Allen, resources lead member on the PTA.
