THE Fraud Squad has been called in to look at allegations of criminal maladministration over the controversial park-and-ride extension in Winchester.

Detectives in Winchester have passed on the case to the Netley-based squad to look into allegations of misuse of public money.

The three complainants, Keith Story, Alan Weeks and David Croker, made the allegations in May in a 36-page dossier.

They say crucial facts were withheld from the public inquiry in 1997 into the 400-plus space extension to park and ride on the former A33 bypass.

The claims have been strenuously denied by county council leader Ken Thornber, who said correct procedures had been followed at all times.

The controversial plans for the park-and-ride extension at Garnier Road caused outrage among environmentalists, because of the meadow the extension is being built on.

The land had been given to the people of Winchester for posterity, to be turned into a meadow after the M3 motorway extension was driven through Twyford Down in the early 90's.

However less than six years after that guarantee, plans were announced to concrete over the meadow to make way for the park-and-ride extension.

Hampshire County Council, on the other hand, say the scheme is vital to the future of Winchester - not only to reduce traffic in the city centre, but also to reduce pollution levels - significant as Winchester has just become the first city in Hampshire to have an 'Air Quality Management Area' forced upon it because of high pollution levels.

Det Insp Bob Maker, of Winchester CID, said his officers had started to look at the evidence and consider whether the claims warranted interviewing people.

But the case had been passed over to the fraud squad as a matter of policy. He said: "All public corruption allegations have got to go to the fraud squad."

Det Insp Maker said several allegations had been quickly dismissed. "Some allegations were too tenuous. But there are allegations around internal documents which the Fraud Squad are looking through.

"They have asked the county council to co-operate which they are doing," he said.

DI Maker said the process would take some time but that the Fraud Squad was making progress. "It is like plaiting fog. But the Fraud Squad have cracked on with it."

One of the complainants, Alan Weeks who is also the chairman of the Winchester Residents Association, said: "I feel gratified that the fraud squad are investigating and pursuing this.

"We have no doubt about what the final result will be, namely that it will be shown that there was maladministration by the authorities over the park and ride scheme plans."