York Park and Ride site improvement consultation opens

The proposals aim to attract new customers to use the Park & Ride, and will provide more accessible, easier to use facilities and greater transport options such as improved cycling parking.  Five of York’s six Park and Ride sites are included in the project; Poppleton Bar, Grimston Bar, Askham Bar, Rawcliffe Bar and Monks Cross. The Designer Outlet Park and Ride site is not owned by the council, so will not be affected by the planned upgrades.

The changes proposed include:

• The introduction of overnight car parking at Rawcliffe Bar and Askham Bar Park and Ride sites to support the city’s residents and visitors, plus our thriving overnight economy.
• Better located dedicated parking for oversized vehicles at Askham Bar, Rawcliffe Bar and Grimston Bar (daytime only). A new building will also be delivered to replace outdated facilities at Grimston
• Improvements to the accessibility of the sites and parking areas; new waiting facilities, lighting, pathways, refurbished toilets including Changing Places facilities
• Improved facilities for multi-modal trips. The improvements included will vary by site (e.g. long-distance bus and coach routes, car club vehicles, improved cycle parking and lockers).

Overnight parking will offer greater flexibility to both residents taking trips away from York (e.g. using Park and Ride to connect to train services for commuting or a weekend away) as well as visitors coming into the city for overnight stays. It will be offered at Askham Bar and Rawcliffe Bar – chosen because they are most easily reached from major towns and cities such as Leeds.

Some of the main principles of offering overnight parking are:

• Drivers will have access to their cars 24 hours a day, so you can drop off or collect your car at any time
• Offering a viable option for longer stays that avoids the need to drive into and pay for parking in the city centre, helping reduce congestion
• The sites will have improved CCTV, security and lighting
• Bus services won’t be running through the night. Taxis or cycles can be used to get to either site and collect your car during hours when buses aren’t running
• The service will not be offered to vehicles higher than a small van – so will not be available for campervans or caravans. No facilities will be offered and no one will be able to stay in their vehicle overnight.

The project is fully funded by the UK Government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). York was allocated over £17m to improve the city’s bus network and £4m of this has been allocated to improving the Park and Ride sites. Alongside the Park and Ride project, BSIP funding is being used to deliver an on-going programme of works to install new real-time information screens across the city and surrounding villages; improved lighting and shelters, plus reducing fares for young people to just £1.

Last year saw a considerable increase in Park and Ride usage, with over 4.5m passenger journeys - the highest number since the Covid pandemic.

Cllr Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Transport at City of York Council, said: 

“York’s Park and Ride is already a huge success story, offering excellent services for York’s residents, commuters and visitors. This project will increase transport options for everyone, making the sites themselves more accessible, encouraging even greater use. By introducing overnight parking at two sites we will offer a convenient alternative to driving and parking in the city centre, helping to reduce traffic congestion, improve bus reliability and free up the roads for those who need to drive. 

“I’d encourage everyone, whether you live in York or further afield, and whether you use the Park and Ride or not, to feedback on our proposals and help us maximise the benefits of the Park & Ride site upgrades”. 

The consultation is open between Thursday 8 May and Monday 9 June. 

To take part people can:

• Read and complete the online survey at ourbigconversation.york.gov.uk

• Email us at ourbigconversation@york.gov.uk, or write to us via freepost: Park and Ride Consultation, Freepost RTEG-TYYU-KLTZ, City of York Council, West Offices, Station Rise, York, YO1 6GA.

To find out more visit ourbigconversation.york.gov.uk