Community leaders have accused Bath and North East Somerset Council of peddling myths about a new park-and-ride site.

The council wants to put the site at Bathampton Meadows, off the Batheaston Bypass.

But the parish council in Batheaston says it is the wrong spot – and that former military land at Charmy Down off the A46 should be used instead.

Parish council chairman Cllr David Lavington says B&NES is perpetrating four myths.

These are that Bathampton Meadows is the cheapest site, that drivers from the east will not add two miles to their journey to reach Charmy Down, that an alternative choice would lose the council money and that the use of Charmy Down would not get planning permission.

The parish council has also put together its own montage showing what it says the park-and-ride site will look like at night.

Cllr Lavington says: "Five times development on the meadows has been rejected by Government inspectors, by B&NES planning committees, by official studies in which B&NES participated and by consultants employed by B&NES.

"A prudent politician would listen to the people – and would question the 'facts' presented by officials.

"The council cabinet now needs to move on from myth and propaganda, treat voters and the subject with more respect, and command a proper review of the best long-term site for an eastern park and ride."

However, B&NES has stuck to its guns on the issue. A council spokesman said: "Experienced highways engineers have looked thoroughly at the Charmy Down option.

"It simply would not deliver the level of transport improvement that is necessary to help stop gridlock in Bath.

"Two-thirds of traffic on the London Road comes from the A4 bypass or from Batheaston. One-third of traffic travels past Charmy Down.

"If vehicles wishing to use park and ride had to travel to Charmy Down from the south, instead of to the proposed A4 site, this would result in an estimated 1.4 million extra car miles travelled per year.

"This assumes that workers or visitors to the city would even travel the two and a half miles north, away from the London Road to Charmy Down, to catch a bus that would take longer to reach the city centre.

"The council will continue to engage with local residents on the A4 East of Bath Park and Ride.

"But it must get on with the job of delivering the £60 million of transport improvements for the area.

"Otherwise there is a risk that residents will lose investment for expanded park and ride, better bus routes, and measures to enhance the pedestrian environment."

The 1,300-space scheme at Bathampton Meadows would replace B&NES previous first choice site at Bath Rugby's training ground at Lambridge.

The Lambridge option had looked likely for a decade, despite well-publicised concern over flood risks at the site

Until recently, Lambridge was seen as the cheapest and most suitable option.

But progress had stalled after plans for linked flood protection works were repeatedly rejected.

The council now seems set on pursuing the Bathampton Meadows option at Mill Lane, just off the A46 Bath bypass, which would be double the capacity of Lambridge.

The change of heart was welcomed by members of the Stop the White Elephant at Lambridge Group.

The campaign group opposed development there because of fears over light pollution, danger to wildlife and traffic.

City MP Don Foster dubbed the Lambridge park-and-ride scheme as "nothing more than a city centre car park".

He said it would have cost a fortune and done nothing to reduce congestion.