WORK begins next month to provide 70 temporary car parking spaces at Newton railway station - the first phase of a £300,000 scheme to provide a park and ride facility.

St Helens Council has been campaigning for better facilities at the station for many years including a much needed park and ride scheme.

This has been held up due to a Railtrack embargo on releasing land. But, with the recent lifting of the embargo, the council has been able to re-open talks with Merseytravel so progress could be made on the scheme.

A detailed plan for the new park and ride is now being put together. The project is being funded by Newton 21 SRB and Merseytravel.

Councillor Terry Hanley, Chairman of Highways and Transportation and Chairman of Merseytravel Rail Committee, said: "This council has been lobbying for many years for this scheme and we are delighted that it has been given the go-ahead. It will benefit the many hundreds of commuters."

Mark Dowd, Chairman of Merseytravel, said: "Experience elsewhere has shown that park and ride proves an attractive proposition to many motorists."

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