TWO potential sites have been identified for a trial park and ride scheme in Hereford.

Both are on the city's major traffic route, the A49, at the Racecourse to the north and at Bradbury Park, the former HQ of the SAS, to the south.

Herefordshire Council is seeking funding for the project from the Government and if the £450,000 bid is forthcoming people could be 'parking and riding' in the city later next year.

Council spokesman Richard Ball said details of the scheme are still at the 'embryo' stage with negotiations to take place and much depended on the Government saying yes to the cash.

If it came up with the money and a trial scheme proved successful it could be extended to other parts of the city.

Park and Ride in Hereford is an important ingredient in the council's Local Transport Plan, encouraging people to leave their cars at the edge of Hereford and reduce the clogging up of streets in the city centre.

New buses

The council also wants another £3 million from the Government to help buy 41 new user- friendly buses for Herefordshire.

About one quarter of the buses subsidised by the council already fit the bill and the extra buses would complete the 'low floor' bus scheme.

They are expensive, at round £100,000 each and are specially designed with wider doors to help people with wheelchairs and child buggies, the elderly and disabled and those carrying shopping.

A third request for Government money involves the bridge over the River Wye at Bridge Sollars which has been declared unsafe for heavy vehicles and is now restricted to just three tons.

The council is asking for round £1.3 million to replace the bridge and allow heavier traffic to use it again.

Local parish councils, alarmed at the consequences of the three-ton limit, are supporting the council in its bid to persuade the Government to come up with the cash.

It is being told about the amount of heavy traffic having to take diversion routes, a big increase in journey times, difficulties for farmers dealing with crops on either side of the river, the long distance to alternative river crossings and the general adverse effect on the local economy.

If there is a sympathetic response from the Government a new bridge could be ready by the end of 2003.

Safer routes

The £5 million package for funding has been put to the Government, which will study a progress report on what has been happening in the county over the last year.

The report contains details of the safer routes to school project, a 20mph traffic calming zone at Stanberrow Road and the refurbishment of the Commercial Road bus station.

A decision on the three new major transport schemes is expected in December.