TRANSPORT bosses behind Colchester’s park and ride described Colchester General Hospital as a “key destination” to call at – then changed their minds, it can be revealed.

The park and ride opened in April last year.

Highways boss at Essex County Council Rodney Bass categorically ruled out creating a park and ride stop near to Colchester General Hospital.

That was despite mounting pressure from politicians who said the park and ride should call at the back of the hospital on the Northern Approach Road.

Martin Goss, Lib Dem borough councillor for Mile End, even offered to help pay himself for the stop to be installed, saying it was a “no-brainer”.

Now the Gazette has found a county council document from 10 months before the park and ride opened, which states the hospital would form part of the scheme.

Signed by Mr Bass, it says: “The Colchester Park and Ride site will provide a 1,000-space facility adjacent to junction 28 on the A12. An associated bus priority scheme will provide a rapid transit corridor for buses from the outskirts of Colchester to the town centre via key destinations, including Colchester Hospital.”

Mr Goss welcomed the report despite it not being implemented.

He said: “I am exceedingly supportive of Essex County Council and Rodney Bass in recognising Colchester Hospital as a key destination.

“It is something we have been saying since the service was introduced.

“The initial launch of the service was to get it up and running and iron the kinks out, now is the time to get the hospital added. It is fantastic it is in the report and we need to work with the county council to make it happen this year.”

No-one from the hospital was available to comment, but it has previously indicated it would support solutions to ease pressure on its car park and the roads around the hospital, as long as the cost was not prohibitive.

Eddie Johnson, who replaced Mr Bass as county councillor for highways, said: “We are continuing discussions with Colchester General Hospital about the issue of access to the site from the park and ride.”