Falmouth's problem-hit park and ride received further criticism this week from a holidaymaker and his family from Kent.

Mr Andrew White told the Packet that he and his family arrived at the Ponsharden park and ride just before lunchtime on Friday, deciding to go into town on the bus. He paid for his tickets but not only did the bus arrive ten minutes late, it was full up, leaving passengers standing around for a further half hour for the next service.

Mr White, from Canterbury, not wishing to wait, said he asked for his money back, drove into town and parked in a long-stay car park for almost half of what it would have cost him in the park and ride.

"I found the park and ride very difficult. In Canterbury we run one successfully, why not in Falmouth?

"We did not wish to go on the park and float and preferred to ask for a refund and drive into town instead of waiting for another bus."

He found it cheaper as well in town. "We thought, why spend £4 on a park and ride when we can park for £2.40 in town?" he added.

Mr White said he did question the park and ride bus service with the driver of the First bus, but he said any co,mplaints should be referred to his superiors.

"No one really wanted to know," he said.

As the Packet revealed last month, a dedicated park and ride bus service from the Ponsharden car park to for Falmouth does not exist, the service having been stopped as a cost cutting exercise. Instead, the park and ride is serviced by a local 400 service which at certain times of the day begins its route at Mylor.

A county council spokesman said it had been decided to use a regular service bus for the park and ride as it reduced the cost. It was scheduled to operate on a half hourly basis at certain times of the day.

Falmouth's park and ride and park and float is contracted to the National Maritime Museum's commercial arm, Discovery Quays, who lease the operation to Cornwall Ferries. The site is owned by the county council.

It is only available during the summer months.

The rest of the year, apart from a small number of car spaces, the car park is used for boat storage by a private yacht company which operates from the site.