TRAFFIC calming in St Peter's could be scrapped if Worcester City Council refuses to stump up cash to fund the city's new park-and-ride.

Worcestershire County Council has threatened to withhold money from various city transport schemes if the city council refuses to release around £220,000 for the Perdiswell park-and-ride scheme.

Worcester City Council has the cash from legal agreements with developers and has to use it or return it.

But it says councillors have never approved handing the money over to the park-and-ride scheme - despite the authority being a partner in the £2.5m project.

"There was no explicit offer of this money or indication that it had committee approval to be used for the purposes of the Droitwich Road park-and-ride," said the city council's director of corporate services Philip Betts.

Worcester City Council has, however, agreed to put up £80,000 for a new toilet block on the park-and-ride site.

The council has admitted that its officers did "indicate" to the county council that it had more than a quarter-of-a-million pounds that could be used for the park-and-ride.

But in July the city council's policy and resources committee, due to meet tomorrow evening, put off a decision on how the money should be spent.

Now Worcestershire County Council says it could make up the shortfall - but at the expense of several other transport initiatives in Worcester, which would be delayed or axed.

"This is all froth, spin and nonsense," said the leader of Worcester City Council, Robert Rowden, who denied the city council might have to "throw in the towel" and appease County Hall.

"There is no towel to throw, as we have never said we won't pay some of the costs of the park-and-ride.

"No position has been taken - we have simply decided not to commit the funds for the moment."

Coun Rowden declined to comment further.

In a report Mr Betts warned that the matter could crop up again when more money, which could be used for park-and-ride is raised from legal agreements.