CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a £4.7m park and ride on a piece of greenbelt land in Colnbrook have been scrapped, the council has confirmed.

In partnership with the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which is made up of local authorities and businesses to decide on economic projects, the council was eyeing adding up to 600 parking spaces and a cycle hub on land in Brands Hill.

The scheme would have been implemented by the busy Colnbrook By-Pass and Sutton Lane. The aim of the scheme was to ease congestion into Slough town centre.

Slough Observer: Drawing of the now scrapped park and rideDrawing of the now scrapped park and ride (Image: Slough Borough Council)

Despite the plans being shelved, an alternative scheme could come forward, such as turning that bit of greenbelt land into a 100 space electric vehicle and hydrogen refilling hub for heavy goods vehicles.

This scheme is being led by the LEP in collaboration with Slough Borough Council. The local authority could not reveal further details or how much this will cost.

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The now scrapped park and ride plan has been in the works for years and has been contested by borough and parish councillors as well as residents.

Conservative leader Dexter Smith (Colnbrook with Poyle) said last month this project was “not required” and the people of Colnbrook “do not want”.

He said: “[This is] for people to park their cars to go into the centre of Slough to shop. Our shopping centre has declined and is dying.

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“It’s on one of the most polluted roads in Slough, the most polluted in fact. It’s going to cause more congestion and it will be bitterly contested.

“I don’t understand why we’re doing this in this context and even if you recover all of the money of the purchase of this land, there’s officer time and servicing of this park and ride with bus services and so on and other ongoing costs which this council cannot afford.

“It’s the wrong place and the wrong time”