THE future of a hospital's park and ride service remains uncertain.

In June, the Journal reported the Glan Clwyd Hospital's Park and Ride would be extended until October 31.

The service, used by thousands on patients, was originally due to stop running on June 30.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) have been reviewing the scheme, but it is still unclear if it will be continued.

A spokesperson for the health board said: "Options for the future of the Park and Ride service at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd will be discussed at the meeting of the health board’s Finance and performance committee on October 24.”

The free transport scheme takes patients from the former Hotpoint factory site in Bodelwyddan to the hospital.

Darren Millar, AM for Clwyd West, spoke about the situation in the Senedd.

He said: "While I fully support the free parking initiative that we have at hospitals across Wales, there is no doubt that it is causing some considerable problems in terms of parking at many of our NHS sites, not least Glan Clwyd Hospital, which serves many of my constituents.

“In a bid to alleviate some of those problems, the health board in North Wales has provided a park-and-ride facility that has been extremely popular with patients and staff. But, regrettably, the service it is set to be withdrawn at the end of this month, and I'm very concerned about the stress that that might cause, particularly for those people who are frequent users of hospital services as a result of conditions like cancer and other chronic or life-limiting illnesses."

The AM - who said scrapping the service would be 'disastrous' - asked the Welsh Government if any financial support was available.

BCUHB was able to extended its contract to provide the park and ride after reaching an agreement with Arriva.

The park and ride scheme was introduced in October 2014 to help ease parking pressures and traffic congestion while redevelopment work went on at the hospital.