Chilly weather doesn’t deter Park and Riders
Stratford-upon-Avon’s Park and Ride is attracting almost 500 passengers a day according to new figures.
The patronage figures for November are out today, and the number of people using the service has gone up from an average of 470 people a day in October to 490 people a day last month.
This is fast approaching the Park and Ride best ever month in August when an average of 508 people per day of operation.
In November 12,256 passenger journeys were made on the Park and Ride buses, removing thousands of cars from the roads heading into the centre of the town.
Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “This is great news, despite a chilly November we are seeing the figures going up and up. The £1.30 return trip is proving to be very attractive to drivers heading into Stratford, reducing congestion on our roads and improving the town centre environment.
“Park and Ride offers easy free parking, and a hassle free journey into town, removing queuing traffic from the centre of Stratford and preventing the hunt for spaces in town centre car parks.”
The Park and Ride operates seven days a week through the summer and is based off the A46 at Bishopton, with buses running every ten minutes.
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.
For more information on Park and Ride visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/stratfordparkandride