Scrap The Green Travel Plan

Last updated : 12 February 2005 By Covsupport

Residents of Longford and Foleshill have called for a complete rethink about the Green Travel Plan for the new Arena.

At a meeting in Longford Road, Lonnie Downes, chairman of the Longford Community Action for our Neighbourhoods group said "We reject the plan in its entirety. We want a multi-storey car park and the railway which runs alongside the stadium opening to the public. "Without that, Longford and Holbrooks will be brought to a standstill."

His comments were supported by Independent Councillor Val Stone who added: "There has been a total rejection of the plans Everyone who lives in Longford and Holbrooks is appalled."

The Green Travel Plan requires 75% of supporters using the Arena for football matches and concerts to arrive and leave by means other than by car and was agreed to as a way of getting round planning permission. A number of park and walk (or hike in some cases) official sites are to be used as well as a bus scheme.

Leicester based Arena Coventry Representative Charles Rayner said: "The plan is still to be finalised. We are still setting up where the resident permit and park-and-ride schemes are being installed. "One problem is that we have no powers to stop private entrepreneurs setting up their own car parks on private land."