Free park and ride for commuters from Monday
Commuters will be able to travel for free on Stratford’s Park and Ride from this coming Monday.
And in a bid to demonstrate to as many people as possible that Stratford Park and Ride is the most sensible way to get into the centre of town, free journey vouchers will be distributed on Friday, Saturday, and Monday, offering people the chance to experience Park and Ride for free.
From Monday, July 2, there will be no charge at all for using the Park and Ride before 9am from Monday to Saturday. This deal joins the existing free journey opportunities for those aged over 60 with countywide bus passes and up to two accompanied children per fare paying passenger.
Adults travelling after 9am can park all day for free at the Park and Ride site at Bishopton off the A46, and travel into the centre of town for just £1.30 each return.
The free before 9am service is being introduced in a bid to further reduce congestion and improve the environment in the town centre. This comes after a study found that despite patronage of the park and ride increasing, commuters have failed to discover the benefits of the service.
The latest patronage figures reveal that in April of this year 43 per cent more people were using the Park and Ride compared to the same period last year. An increase from 7,404 last year to 10,604 this year.
The free before 9am service has received the full backing of Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet, which could save a commuter more than £100 a month (based on paying in a long stay car park every day).
Buses run every 10 to 15 minutes from the site every day from April to September, but not on Sundays and Bank Holidays through the winter months.
The launch of the new service also coincides with the first official birthday of Stratford Park and Ride and Cllr John Wells, Chairman of Warwickshire County Council, will be visiting the site on Monday, July 2, to see the latest developments first hand.
He said: “I’m delighted to see that more and more people are using the Park and Ride service and hopefully we will now see commuters taking advantage of the free deal – there’s really no excuse not to. It’s good for the environment, saves time, and is also good for the pocket!”
Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “Getting people onto the Stratford Park and Ride and out of the town centre in the morning rush hour will help to tackle congestion and reduce the environmental impact of our cars. Cars are at their most polluting when sitting in traffic, and the Stratford Park and Ride gives a very realistic alternative.”
John Deegan, Warwickshire County Council’s Strategic Director for the Environment and Economy Directorate, said: “Stratford Park and Ride is a part of an overall strategic plan for Warwickshire’s transport issues, contained within the Local Transport Plan. We always knew it was not something that was going to be a success overnight.
"People are very used to getting in their cars and driving to the door, we have got to change that attitude and it takes time. The Park and Ride in Stratford is a key to ensuring the future viability of the town.”
Customer feedback has reflected the success of the scheme so far:
“Your friendly and helpful staff in orange coats were first class”; “I think your service is excellent, and I hope that it continues. Thank you”; and “Service is great. Just need more people to use it”.
Stratford Park and Ride forms a key element of Warwickshire County Council’s Local Transport Plan which, over the next five years, seeks to improve people’s access to services and facilities while managing the impact on society, the environment, our economy and resources.
The county council’s Local Transport Plan specifically links Park and Ride with its Decriminalisation of Parking scheme in Stratford. This is because similar schemes operating in Cambridge, York, Nottingham, Chester, Oxford and Coventry have delivered a shift from vehicle congested urban centres to sustainable public transport. In achieving this they have also created a better, safer, cleaner environment for everyone to enjoy.