HOPES of a park-and-ride scheme for Bury St Edmunds have been left in tatters after council chiefs declared the idea had “no current justification”.

For years views on a park- and-ride scheme for Bury St Edmunds have been split – with some claiming the town is too small to support such a scheme and others believing it would play a vital role in cutting congestion.

St Edmundsbury Borough Council has reviewed the need for a park-and-ride following the opening of the �100million Arc shopping centre.

The council said the town’s existing car parks were “rarely full”, that �500,000 a year would be needed to fund a park-and-ride scheme and that the town’s roads were “insufficiently congested to warrant” such an investment.

But Bob Cockle, leader of Bury St Edmunds Town Council, said the town did need a park-and-ride because it is growing.

“My take on it is that we should have a park-and-ride because of the amount of people, including workers, coming into Bury.

“The council seems to be emphasising the people coming into Bury to shop – but what about those people who work here.

“Cambridge, Ipswich and Norwich all have a park-and-ride and we’ve got to plan for the future.

“It would cost a lot of money but it would be worth it because the town is growing and it would lower congestion on Parkway and Cullum Road.”