FUNDS from a scrapped park-and-ride scheme won’t be used to create a new electric vehicle charging point area in Slough.
The Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which is made up of local authorities and businesses to decide on economic projects, is set to not invest about £5m of public money for Slough Borough Council to create a 100-space electric vehicle and hydrogen refilling hub for heavy goods vehicles.
The scheme involved developing a piece of greenbelt land adjacent to Sutton Lane in Colnbrook, near M4 Junction 5.
READ MORE: Slough: Colnbrook park and ride plans scrapped
That piece of land was previously going to be a 600-space park and ride area for people to park their vehicles to go to Slough town centre or Heathrow Airport.
But the council scrapped it earlier this year after an independent report, which cost £48,290 by consultants UK Power Network Services (UPNS), found it was ‘no longer viable’ due to changing circumstances, such as the expansion of Heathrow Airport in question.
An alternative scheme was brought forward for electric charging points and a hydrogen refilling hub, but the LEP believed it is ‘too risky’ to invest and should be funded through other means that do not involve public money.
UPNS found this alternative scheme to be ‘good’ and could attract sufficient demand but was concerned that it won’t enough to override greenbelt policies to enable development.
It is also dependent on the council securing an agreement with landowners Grundon and developing the scheme could take up to three years.
With that in mind, members sitting on Thursday’s Berkshire local transport body are set to agree to withdraw the £5m from the park and ride scheme.
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