A PARK and ride scheme could be introduced in Burnley to make it easier for people across East Lancashire commute and to shop in the town centre.

Burnley Borough Council has been carrying out consultations into a park and ride scheme.

It is hoped it would reduce congestion in the town, especially during busy periods such as Christmas, as well as help reduce demand on town centre parking spaces.

But town centre managers today said the proposal was in the long term because the current 5,000 car parking spaces are enough to meet the needs of the town.

The council has been carrying out a study of public car parking provision in Burnley which is due to be presented to councillors at tomorrow's Executive meeting.

The Executive is recommended to confirm a decision to demolish St Peter's multi-storey car park to make way for a new health centre and a possible replacement for the Thompson Centre which is to be bulldozed as part of a separate review of leisure provision across the borough.

Councillor Peter Kenyon, executive member for best value and resources, said: " We recognise there are a number of radical changes in the pipeline that will affect parking in the town centre

"We have to make sure there are sufficient parking spaces to preserve the vitality of the town centre and to ensure that Burnley continues to be an attractive place to work and shop." Lisa Durkin, Burnley Town Centre Manager, said: "As we get some more development or when we start to see the demolition of the St Peters car park we may need to look at park and ride.

"It may work if we see developments going on near the Asda site making it perhaps necessary to put another junction on the motorway which is just one-way at the moment. A park and ride scheme could be created near the arches but this is all in the longer term.

"Park and ride is something which may help temporarily at Christmas if the St Peters car park demolition was going on because we would lose 550 car parking spaces."