Newsdesk

ASHFORD SHOULD NOT WASTE MONEY ON PARK AND RIDE

26th June 2003

Ashford Borough Council is contemplating the introduction of Park and Ride sites (1 - at - g The congestion and periodic gridlock around Canterbury's Park and Rides should deter Ashford from repeating Canterbury's error. A new 20-page report, Park and Ride: fiasco and failure? (2) has been compiled by Steve Dawe, using material about Park and Ride sites throughout England. He comments:

- at - g "Park and Ride fails to reduce traffic often because of a lack of integration wi - at - g other transport policies leading to unintended trip creation and abstracting people from public transport. Park and Ride tends to damage bus services, which is a very serious issue for Ashford's village communities. In considering whether park and ride could contribute appreciably and in terms of cost-effectiveness to integrating local transport, the Borough Council would have to take additional measures such as closing through routes, extending pedestrianisation and cutting car park capacity to guarantee any positive effects for Park and Ride. The problem is that this costs a great deal more money on top of the cost of Park and Ride itself. It would be cheaper to spend the money on traffic reduction measures in the first place. Park and Ride can potentially add twice as much traffic outside an urban area it serves as it reduces inside it, making it very burdensome for those living nearby. Strong parking controls will be needed if Park and Ride is to produce traffic reduction and Park and Ride must inter-connect with cycling and walking routes to help reduce car journeys to sites.

"It appears a lose-lose situation: successful park and ride does tend to reduce bus - at - gervices; unsuccessful Park and Ride needs large subsidies to keep it running. The visible localized congestion at Park and Ride sites suggests a need for a ban on them being near homes: eg at least half a mile away. If Ashford goes for urban fringe Park and Ride and uses out of town retail outlets to help fund it, the result could be great damage to the town centre." ENDS c344 words

- at - g FURTHER INFORMATION: Steve Dawe, on 01233 645167/07904 382203 or 0207 378 04 - at - g (Monday and Wednesday). Contact address: 10 Hillbrow Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 4QH

- at - g Notes: 1. Ashford Borough Council Delivering the Sustainable Communities Plan in A - at - gford, submission from the Ashford's Future Delivery Board (2003), p.11.
2. Park and Ride: fiasco or failure? available by email from Steve Dawe: stevedawe - at - gn.acp.org

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20th June 2005