Park and Ride has never been such great value
Motorists are being urged to save themselves cash and use Stratford-upon-Avon’s Park and Ride as new parking charges are imposed in the town on 1st April.
Anyone planning on spending a day in Stratford will from today have to spend £20 to park for more than six hours, where as an adult return on Park and Ride is just £1.50, with free parking at the site, or £3 will buy a family ticket for two adults and up to four children.
A new range of season tickets are also being launched by Warwickshire County Council to allow commuters to take better advantage of Park and Ride. An annual season ticket for the Park and Ride costs £200, compared to £500 for town centre car parks.
These are among a number of changes that come into force from Sunday on Stratford’s Park and Ride, based at the site at Bishopton off the A46. A new fare structure comes into force, and with the introduction of the season tickets, the ‘free before 9’ service is coming to an end.
The Stratford Park and Ride also re-opens for Sunday travel this weekend, opening from 9.30am until 7.30pm, the first bus is at 10am, and the last back from town is 7pm.
As a result of customer feedback the Park and Ride will start 10 minutes earlier from Monday, with the first bus now leaving at 7.48am, arriving in the town centre before 8am. Buses then run every 10 to 15 minutes through the day, with the last bus back leaving Bridge Street at 7.04pm.
Another major change will see the introduction of group and family tickets, details of which are included below:
Park and Ride Fares – From April 5th 2009
Fare Details
Adult
£1.50
Child
£0.75
Concessionary Pass holders
Free
Mini Family Ticket
£1.70
1 adult and up to 2 children
Maxi Family Ticket
£3.00
2 adult and up to 4 children
Group Ticket
£5.00
Up to five adults.
Season ticket details are as follows:
Season Tickets – Unlimited Journeys
Weekly Season Ticket
£6.00
Monthly Season Ticket
£22.00
Quarterly Season Ticket
£60.00
Annual Season Ticket
£200.00
Weekly and Monthly Season Tickets can be bought on the Park and Ride bus, and Quarterly and Annual Season Tickets can be purchased from Johnson Coaches on 01564 797000.
Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “Park and Ride makes economical and environmental sense for commuters, visitors and families alike. It 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.”
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