Park and Ride has record day
Stratford Park and Ride enjoyed a record day on Saturday with almost 600 cars using the car park.
For the first time the car park neared its capacity of 725 spaces with 586 cars parked on Saturday, and in order to meet the high demand extra buses were put on at certain times in the day to ensure people enjoyed a hassle free experience travelling into the centre of Stratford.
And with 284 cars parked the following day, taking advantage of the summer Sunday opening, the weekend total topped the 850 car mark for the first time
It is thought that many motorists who are planning an all-day stay in Stratford are recognising the benefits of park and ride as a low cost and convenient option.
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 have also been 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 came into force at the start of April on Stratford’s Park and Ride, based at the site at Bishopton off the A46, including a new fare structure and the end of the ‘free before 9’ promotion.
As a result of customer feedback the Park and Ride now starts 10 minutes earlier, 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 has seen 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.
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