businesses occupying a planned multi-million pound 30-acre business park on the outskirts of York will share in the cost of providing desperately-needed transport links to the site.

The contributions from a proposed business park, which could employ 5,500 people and create 3,000 homes, will go towards the £11.5 million cost of a transport master plan for the whole of the Monks Cross area.

Councillors at last night's planning committee meeting passed a comprehensive package of measures to develop the whole area, including 44 different schemes such as a Park & Ride site, improved junctions, new bus links and cycle routes.

Planners expect business to contribute almost £3 million to the total cost of the transport links - with City of York Council (£5.6 million) and the Highways Agency (£2.6 million) paying the rest.

Peter Evely, head of highway regulation, said works at the Hopgrove roundabout and connecting trunk roads were included in the council's sums.

He added that the council was prepared to use some of the money to build an "interim solution" at the roundabout if the Highways Agency scheme was delayed.

Developer Oakgate Ltd, which submitted plans for the business park and Park & Ride site in January, will contribute nearly £1 million towards the transport plan.

Other businesses will make proportional contributions according to a formula calculated by the council which takes into account how employees travel to and from work.

Jim Downes, of Oakgate, said the development would help meet the expected demand for jobs in York over the next five years.

Updated: 12:13 Friday, November 01, 2002