Hundreds oppose plans to change Chester Park & Ride charges

Jul 1 2008 by David Holmes, Chester Chronicle

COMMUTERS and OAPs who use Sealand Road Park & Ride in Chester have bombarded the city council over a proposed initiative aimed at encouraging car-sharing.

Lone travellers and pensioners in particular oppose a proposed pilot scheme because it will force them to pay more.

The council has received a 434-name petition and 22 letters from people opposed to the project which will be discussed by highway chiefs next week.

At the moment users of Sealand Road Park & Ride park free of charge and pay for the bus journey into Chester.

During the trial, travellers would pay for parking and ride for free, making it cheaper for parties of two or more to travel together and share the parking costs.

Single travellers would see their daily charge go up from £1.70 to £2.50 a day – or £12.50 for a five-day week instead of £8.50 although cheaper multi-journey season tickets would be available.

Pensioners would lose out because using their concessionary bus passes they currently pay just 70p before 9.30am and go free after that. Instead they would fork out £2.50 a time.

In the short-run, passengers could use another P&R site but if successful the scheme would extend to other sites.

Full story in Friday’s Chronicle.