SOUTHEND councillors are keen to keep their park and ride plans alive after an unsuccessful pilot.

Tony Cox, councillor responsible for transport, waste and regulatory services was disappointed with the trial bus service from Southend Civic Centre car park on Victoria Avenue to the seafront.

The trial which started on the August Bank Holiday Weekend, offered day parking to visitors and a return bus service to the seafront for £7.

The Number 9 bus took visitors to the Kursaal in Eastern Esplanade but there were fewer passengers than expected. Mr Cox said: “It did not go as well as we would have hoped.

“There was not a huge take up and we are still going to persist with the pilot for a few weeks and I am sure we can get some good analysis.

“One thing I am reminded of is that the first two series of Only Fools and Horses were going to pulled from the television, but now it is one of the greatest ever British sitcoms, so let’s see how things go and it could happen with the park and ride.”

The scheme is being used in towns and cities across the country including Chelmsford and Cambridge, who also underwent trials over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The council is intending to spread the word of the park and ride in order to encourage more people to use town centre car parks rather than seafront ones which are quickly congested.

David Norman, councillor for Victoria ward is a big supporter of the park and ride trial.

However, he has said the council needs to analyse the difficulties Southend faces, compared to effective park and rides such as outside Chelmsford City Centre.

Mr Norman has advocated the schemes since he was part of the introduction of the first park and ride in Oxford during the 1970s.

He said: “The problem here is that we do not have a large area outside of town that is accessible as a park and ride. Southend is very tricky and there are difficulties which are specific to Southend.

“We also need to do more to promote the park and ride.”

Ann Holland, councillor responsible for culture, tourism and the economy said: “It is worth a try to see how it works.

“They are looking at the trial to see how it can help, and we do want people to go and visit our town.”

People who do want to use the park and ride for the rest of its trial period should download the mobile app, Mobon, before they set off in order to pay for the use of the service.