Coventry park and ride

Coventry Park and Ride South

Bus at War Memorial Park
Parent Coventry City Council and Transport for West Midlands funded
Founded 1999
Locale Coventry, England
Service type Park and ride
Routes Park and Ride South (PRS)
Destinations Coventry city centre
Stations War Memorial Park
Operator Travel West Midlands (?-1999)
Travel De Courcey (1999–2013)
Stagecoach (2014– )
Website NWM Coventry Park and Ride

Coventry Park and Ride is a park and ride system, operated under contract to Coventry City Council and Transport for West Midlands, in the English city of Coventry.[1]

The scheme was launched in 1999 to relieve traffic congestion and to provide a cheaper alternative to city centre parking.[2] The service was jointly operated by Coventry City Council, Centro and Travel de Courcey,[2][3] with Centro and Coventry City Council jointly responsible for the marketing and setting fares. Buses shuttled passengers between a large free carpark at Austin Drive, Courthouse Green, to and from the city centre.[2]

In June 2012 Travel de Courcey introduced three electric buses to the route, each with a capacity of 40 passengers. This was claimed to be the first use of rapidly rechargeable electric buses in the UK.[4] Also in 2012 the company rebranded the park and ride buses in a burgundy and cream livery, to gain brand recognition of the service.[2]

In June 2013 it was announced the park and ride scheme would cease[3] and the Austin Drive carpark closed. Despite a weekly council subsidy of £1,900 the scheme was still making a loss and carrying only 2.8 passengers per trip, on average.[2] However, in April 2014, the service was awarded to Stagecoach who agreed to run it profitably without council subsidy.[5]

Buses run every 20 minutes, between Monday and Friday starting at 6:10 am and finishing at 9:25 pm.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Network West Midlands – Coventry Park and Ride". Network West Midlands. Retrieved 10 November 2009. External link in |publisher= (help)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Jenny Waddington (21 June 2013). "End of the road for Coventry park and ride bus scheme". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Coventry park and ride service closes due to 'heavy losses'". BBC News. 20 June 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "Coventry launches electric bus services". BBC News. 13 June 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  5. 1 2 Matthew Bates (3 April 2014). "Stagecoach takes over city park and ride". Coventry Observer. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
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