The local MP for Truro & Falmouth, Sarah Newton, recently asked Cornwall Council to mark the tenth anniversary of the popular Truro Park and Ride service by extending the hours.

Following this request, she has gained support for the campaign not only from Truro City and Kenwyn Councillors, but local people.

One local resident wrote to Sarah: “I know from personal experience how wonderful the Park & Ride service can be, when visiting a patient at Treliske... I found it a great comfort to know that as I was at my husband’s bedside, I did not need to keep looking at the clock, to make sure that my parking ticket was not going to cost a greater amount of money if I stayed for another ten minutes or so!”

In response to Sarah’s request a Cornwall Council spokesperson said: “As this is a Council-subsidised service, we do carry out reviews of the hours of operation, however we have to balance the needs of our passengers with the cost to the taxpayer and to add services during quieter periods would increase this cost.”

Sarah has asked Cornwall Council to extend the opening hours to seven days a week from 6.30 am until 8.30 pm and enable cars to be parked overnight. This will support staff, volunteers and visitors to Treliske. It will also help commuters and visitors to Truro and ease congestion on the A390, one of Cornwall’s most congested and polluted roads.

Today, Sarah has launched a public petition asking local people to urge Cornwall Council to support the campaign. To be debated at Full Council, Cornwall Council requires the petition be signed by 5,000 local residents.

Commenting Sarah said: “It’s important that Cornwall Council understand the amount of people who would like to use this publicly funded service and the strength of feeling, especially of staff, volunteers and visitors of Treliske. It’s good that Cornwall Council doesn’t want to waste council tax payers’ money, but the staff, volunteers and visitors to the hospital are local tax payers." The public have paid for the car parking facilities and buses and with the growth in visitor numbers, they are contributing too. Now is the time to make the service benefit more local people. Sign the petition if you want to see an extension of the Truro Park & Ride service. If you would like to promote this petition to your work colleagues or friends please do bring it to their attention with the following link: https://www.sarahnewton.org.uk/campaigns/extend-operating-hours-truro-park-and-ride.