TAS Publications

The previous government’s Ten-Year Plan for transport promised “high-quality park and ride schemes so that people do not have to drive into congested town centres”, setting a target for the development of “up to 100 new park and ride schemes” by 2010.

Between our reports in 2003 and 2007, there was certainly plenty of activity, with no fewer than 27 new sites opening. Over the six years between 2000 and 2007, local authorities invested over £130m in developing park and ride sites.

Building on its previous work in 1997, 2000 and 2003, TAS once again surveyed authorities running and developing projects in 2007*, and our report Park and Ride Great Britain 2007 presents the results.

The 193 page report presents an analysis of schemes and expenditure, looking at both the extent and type of provision. It includes benchmarking of sites and the first ever estimates of national patronage by P&R. A series of case studies highlights good practice in provision, and a full site listing provides further details of each scheme.

Park & Ride Great Britain provides an invaluable source of reference on the sector.

The publication is available in monochrome in hard-copy format, or by instant electronic download of a full colour PDF file from our online shop after payment by credit or debit card.

* - research funded with the support of Stagecoach Group plc.

Comprehensive survey data

Park and Ride Great Britain features a listing of bus and LRT-based schemes throughout the country, based on the results of the TAS 2007 survey.
The questionnaire covered such issues as:

• Size and opening days
• Service provision
• Contractual structure
• Charging
• Ticketing
• Site Facilities & Security
• Site Performance
• Future Plans

The research has identified 117 full time, year round bus based Park and Ride sites in Great Britain and a further 18 served by light rail.

TAS estimates that, between them, these 135 sites supply around 70,000 parking spaces, use about 400 buses each day and account for over 46 million passenger journeys a year. Revenue is estimated at around £40m a year.

The sites serve 60 towns and cities, and between them remove some 34 million single car journeys a year from our congested town and city centres.

The report recalls that the Government’s ten year plan set a target of 100 new sites by 2010, and notes that a total of 51 new sites have opened since 2001. Capital spending over that period now totals over £130m.

The report also highlighted the regional variations in the provision of park and ride, with a geographical analysis showing that park and ride schemes predominate in the south of the country,with 50 of the 135 sites located in the South East and South West regions.

A further 17 were located in the East of England, with Yorkshire & the Humber and West Midlands on 15 each, the North West eleven, followed by Scotland and the East Midlands with ten each. Wales had just four sites.The North East of England had the lowest provision, with just three sites.

The report can still be purchased in PDF download or hard copy (mono) formats from our online shop.