park and ride for commute - issues?

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park and ride for commute - issues?

18 posts & 16 voices | Started 2 years ago by stevew | Latest reply from gog

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stevew - Member

Hi All
I have a new job and plan to cut my commute by parking on the outskirts of the city and cycle in the rest of the way to avoid congestion and parking issues.
Is it OK / legal to park my car at the park and ride and then jump on a bike for the rest of the communte?
In my mind park and rides are there to remove cars from the city centre - cutting congestion and making roads nicer places to be.... Those that operate park and rides will obviously see them as a commercial operation to get paying people onto their bus service, that I would not be using.

Discuss!

Posted 2 years ago #
matt_outandabout - Member

Call to the council to confirm? But I would...

Posted 2 years ago #
stumpyjon - Member

Maybe you should contact the council and suggest they should install those bike locker things so you can leave a bike there securely. Chances are they haven't even considered a bike park and ride, ought to be a good idea.

Just hope who ever you speak to isn't one of the usual mindless council drones who do exactly what they are told rather than use their brains, i.e. it's a park and ride (on the bus) cos that's what we set it up as .

Posted 2 years ago #
Jenga - Member

Why not just do it? Why do we all have to bow down before the state terror known as "The Council"? You are parking, and presumably paying a fee. Are they going to frogmarch everyone who parks onto their buses? Don't be such a wimp.
Seriously though, how far are you going to cycle? Can't be that far. Is it worth the hassle?

Posted 2 years ago #
euanr - Member

I reckon you'll be fine. I occasionally do P&R appraisal work and all P&R sites *should* be designed with sustainable access for walking and cycling to allow just this sort of use. No sites I know of have any parking regs that force you into using the bus.

Hope that helps.

Posted 2 years ago #
uplink - Member

I think you'll be fine as well

I know of a group of 4 that meet up at Durham P&R & then go off in one car to Newcastle - never had an issue AFAIK

Posted 2 years ago #
krag - Member

I used to park and ride (my bike) into Bath from the Lansdown hill car park and never had any problems there. I reckon you'd be fine.

Posted 2 years ago #
jim - Member

I know of a group of 4 that meet up at Durham P&R & then go off in one car to Newcastle - never had an issue AFAIK

Used to do the same in York but eventually was threatened with being given a parking ticket for the car we left behind as we weren't adhering to the rules. As far as I know parking and continuing on foot/bike is fine though.

Posted 2 years ago #
AnalogueAndy - Member

Is it OK / legal to park my car at the park and ride and then jump on a bike for the rest of the communte?

Strictly speaking no. They all stipulate parking is only free provided you use and pay for the bus.

I've never heard of anyone being ticketed at any of the Bath or Bristol sites though.

Posted 2 years ago #
Stu_N - Member

I've left the car and cycled into work from one of the Edinburgh P&Rs as you describe on a regular basis for years, no-one has ever batted an eyelid. There are quite a few people that do it from the one I use.

The only P&R up here I know has any restrictions is the one at Ingliston - no overnight parking - but that is to stop people using it as a cheap airport carpark.

Posted 2 years ago #
pjt201 - Member

a guy i used to work with did this in bristol for a while (from the A370 park and ride car park) - he got a letter under his windscreen wipers telling him not to do it anymore. As far as we could tell there were no rules broken so not sure what their reasoning was!

You could always just park on a side street that's the same distance out as a p&r - that far out there don't tend to be parking restrictions.

Posted 2 years ago #
mrmo - Member

just a thought, who pays for the council? and i very much doubt the P&R is fully self financing, so who is paying the difference.

Yep, you.

Posted 2 years ago #
Munqe-chick - Member

In Oxford there are 4 P&R's of which LOTS of people park for free then cycle into work. The amount of cars you see there with bike racks on the back is huge! I can't see it being a problem at all unless it specifically mentions it.

Posted 2 years ago #
Driller - Member

I work in York and we have parking issues at our offices. We contacted the council (who are very much anti-car) to see whether employees could park at the park and ride and cycle to the offices and the official response we got from York Council was that people who did this would be issued with a parking ticket as the free parking facility is only provided for people who are paying to use the bus.

The car parks are partly funded by the bus companies. Clearly park and ride is less to do with reducing traffic and more to do with making money.

Outrageous.

Posted 2 years ago #
allthepies - Member

A quick google shows different policies in place across the country.

e.g.

http://www.suffolkonboard.com/park_ride/frequently_asked_questions
Can I park my car at the Park & Ride sites and then cycle into town?

No. Currently you cannot park your car at any of the Ipswich Park & Ride sites and then use your bicycle to reach your intended destination. A ticket for the Park & Ride bus must be purchased.

vs

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/parkingtransportandstreets/publictransport/parkandride/parkandridefaqs.htm#pandr-parkandbike
Can I Park and Cycle?
* Yes. You may park your car for free at our sites and then cycle into Salisbury. You will need to show your bike to the site supervisor who will let you out of the car park.

Shows who's actually serious about reducing congestion in their cities rather than making a buck I guess.

Posted 2 years ago #
uplink - Member

as the free parking facility is only provided for people who are paying to use the bus

It may be worth finding out how much a weekly bus ticket is & possibly buying one?

Posted 2 years ago #
uplink - Member

Just checked, the York one is £9.20/week - not bad

Posted 2 years ago #
gog - Member

Councils have a statutory duty to encourage cycling (green goals stuff etc), so this should fall in that area. Cycling England should be able to help

http://www.dft.gov.uk/cyclingengland/

Posted 2 years ago #

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