PETERSFIELD Town Council's Town Development Committee is to put forward ideas that could help realise the ambition of a multi-storey car park at the town's railway station.

At it’s meeting on Friday, May 5, it discussed proposals by rail operator First MTR to provide more car parking, which raises the potential for a multi-storey car park at Petersfield, says the committee.

First MTR is due to take over the South Western network, including the London to Portsmouth line, and has pledged 1,500 more car parking spaces at stations along this route.

A First MTR spokesman said: “We are busy preparing to take over on August 20, so for now there aren’t any specific plans for station improvements.

“But our regional development managers will be keen to talk to local councils like Petersfield and rail user groups, and groups like the East Hampshire Community Rail Partnership for example, about improvements such as more car parking.”

The spokesman added there was an ambition to provide more than the extra car parking spaces proposed, and discussions over the viability of a multi-storey car park at Petersfield would be welcome.

The need for more parking has long been recognised, and the proposal for a multi-storey car park was covered in the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan.

Mark Millar of the East Hampshire Community Rail Partnership, which includes Petersfield Town Council and East Hampshire District Council, says more parking at the station is needed.

He said: “The idea of a multi-storey car park at Petersfield station has been discussed before, and more parking at the station is definitely needed.

“New multi-storey car parks have been opened next to Winchester and Farnborough stations, and one at Petersfield would be a good idea.

“But there are no detailed plans yet, and the idea is more aspirational than reality at the moment.”

First MTR is a partnership between First Group transport provider and MTR, which runs the Hong Kong metro service.

Separately, they operate rail franchises elsewhere in the UK, and as First MTR have pledged £1.2bn for improvements to the South West rail network, including more trains.