2 weeks Ago
Two hundred spaces at one of Norwich's park and ride sites are to remain off limits to drivers, through a deal which will pump more than £350,000 into council coffers. Norfolk County Council has been leasing 200 spaces at the Norwich Airport Park and Ride site to Anglo-French oil and gas company Perenco for staff car parking. But that lease comes to an end later this month, so Jane James, the council's cabinet member for corporate services and innovation, has used her powers to renew it for a further two years.
Jane James, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for corporate services and innovation (Image: Norfolk County Council) The two-year deal will bring in £188,000 a year for Conservative-controlled County Hall, netting the authority £376,000 over the duration of the lease. A report drawn up in support of the decision stated: "It is in Norfolk County Council's financial interest to continue the arrangement with Perenco in order to generate income to mitigate property costs at the site and otherwise to support the provision of park and ride services across the city. "The spaces to be leased are not required for park and ride provision at the current time, nor is it predicted to require the space for the duration of the new operational contract, and the income that will be generated will support park and ride services.
"There will remain sufficient parking spaces to serve the needs of the park and ride service for the proposed two year lease term." The new lease for Perenco comes at a time when the search has begun to award a new contract for a company to run Norwich's bus station and to maintain the city's park and ride sites . The buildings at the city's bus station and at the six park and ride sites are currently managed and maintained by Konectbus.
READ MORE: Konectbus thanks passengers as it leaves Norwich park and ride At the park and ride sites, at Norwich Airport, Harford, Sprowston, Thickthorn, Postwick and Costessey, the contractor will be responsible for maintenance and cleaning. As well as managing the bus station and the park and ride sites, Konectbus has also run the park and ride bus services since 2015. But that changes at the end of this month , after the council awarded the contract to run the park and ride services to First and Simonds.
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