Car parking at Bristol Parkway

[whole diary]

[Lee]

More than 600 people signed a petition presented to South Gloucestershire Council , demanding action to stop people driving into the area and leaving their cars there for more than eight hours (link below.)
http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=19186512&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

Residents say rail passengers are parking in residential streets to avoid paying high parking charges at Parkway Station , where commuters have complained of problems finding spaces at peak times.

Locals say some people who work in Bristol also drive into the area and leave their cars before sharing a lift into the city centre.

[Timmer]

More than 600 people signed a petition presented to South Gloucestershire Council , demanding action to stop people driving into the area and leaving their cars there for more than eight hours (link below.)
http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=19186512&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

Residents say rail passengers are parking in residential streets to avoid paying high parking charges at Parkway Station , where commuters have complained of problems finding spaces at peak times.

Locals say some people who work in Bristol also drive into the area and leave their cars before sharing a lift into the city centre.

Stories like this will only increase once they start bringing in congestion charges to this part of the world

[simonw]

It is about time they extended the BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) car park, or built the rumoured park ride!

There was a plan to add extra stories to the two storey car park, and there is extra space at the redundant Post Office site.

Further to this, there is an area of  waste land behind the current carpark, owned by South Gloucestershire (?), that was rumoured to be a planned Park and Ride area.

[Shazz]

It is about time they extended the BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) car park, or built the rumoured park ride!

There was a plan to add extra stories to the two storey car park, and there is extra space at the redundant Post Office site.

Further to this, there is an area of  waste land behind the current carpark, owned by South Gloucestershire (?), that was rumoured to be a planned Park and Ride area.

post office site is being turned into a training centre or something for NR^» (Network Rail - home page). so they cant really use there.

[miked]

I had a look through old topics but don't see this mentioned as much as I thought it would be.  Most of you who use the Bristol-Paddington line know that after around 9:30 or 10am you have no chance of getting a space at Parkway, despite them increasing the spaces available this year.  And of course if you have the temerity to park badly or in one of the handicap spaces in because you've run out of time circling, the fine you have to pay requires a new mortgage.

I'm not sure what can be done in the short term, but adding a layer or two to the multi-story would seem the sensible solution as it does not require more land, which FGW^▸ (First Great Western) do not have anyway.  However, its hard to do without disabling the top layer of car park while its happening... I presume?

The alternative is take a cab (very expensive), park and ride (non existant) or don't take the train which seems extreme.  Or ... drive to London.  Get me my pills...

What do you do when its full?

Mike

[Conner]

Welcome to the forum miked.
I'm not from this area but I know a number of our members are and they may be able to help.

[simonw]

Hi

The options are

- Park nearby, and annoy the locals
- Email FGW^▸ (First Great Western), you MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) and South Gloucestershire Council

FGW/Network did have plans to add another layer to the car park, but I am not sure what progress has been made.

South Gloucestershire council have plans for a Park and Ride behind BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) station, by the office Park. Again, I do not know teh current status of these plan.

[BPWuser]

Yes the locals do get annoyed!

The pattern of the car park is that it's pretty empty on a Monday or Friday (and weekends), and then fills up on a Tue/Wed to be full on Thursday. It then completely empties on Thurdsay night as everyone returns from london. So if you don't use the train everyday try those days.

Not sure on the park and ride and how it's going to work. The access from the P&R^▸ (Park and Ride) is dreadfull to get to anywhere quickly so who's going to use it for that. Also, if they don't charge for the P&R (and you pay on the bus) everyone will transfer from the station car park to the P&R and then the P&R will be full and people who wanted to use the P&R will have to pay ^5 to use the station car park! Oh I'm confused.

Mike, you are correct in that something needs to be done to sort this out so that everyone can park at the station if they need to, but there's no short term answer other than parking in Stoke Gifford. Try the roads by the Tesco Metro not North Road (where the Beaufort pub is).

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Bristol Evening Post:

A plan has been launched aimed at tackling traffic congestion and improving accessibility at Bristol Parkway railway station. Targets have been set to increase the number of people travelling to the station on foot, by bike, by public transport and through car-sharing by 2011.

The Bristol Parkway Station Travel Plan has been produced as a joint effort by South Gloucestershire Council, First Great Western, the West of England Partnership, Network Rail, the Severnside Community Rail Partnership, and local employers including UWE.

The plan is aimed at reducing the number of people travelling to the station by car. New cycle parking for 32 bikes has been already been installed and a new guide containing onward travel information showing bus, cycle and walking routes is now available to passengers at the station. New cycle routes to the station will be created through the Cycling City project and work is being done to improve the reliability of buses stopping at the station.

Councillor Brian Allinson, executive member for planning, transportation and strategic environment at South Gloucestershire Council and Linda Swainger, Bristol Parkway station manager, launched the new travel plan on Thursday.

Councillor Allinson said: "This is good news for Bristol Parkway and will help the council to work even more closely with the station and local employers to find ways to improve transport to and from the station."

Ms Swainger said: "This is the first step towards improving transport options to the station. It is important that we all work together to improve the options for those using it."

As part of the Cycling City project, there are plans to enhance four cycling routes, which will link the station to central Bristol, Bradley Stoke, Patchway and Filton.

The number of people using the station has grown by more than 30 per cent in the last five years to over 8,000 per day.

[bemmy]

It's ironic isn't it, originally the whole point of a Parkway station was that everybody drove there, now the original Parkway is doing all it can to reduce the number of people driving there.

What would be great would be a proper local suburban service to Parkway from places such as Yate, Patchway, Henbury, Ashley Down, Horfield.... I can't see many people forsaking their cars to catch a bus to the station even if they do bring in these unspecified "improvements" to the reliability of buses (so far the only improvements to reliability of buses in the Bristol area have been extended journey times). And the cycling provision is great from a political correctness point of view, but in reality I doubt that more than 2% of intercity travellers would genuinely consider cycling to the station.

[Lee]

Plans have been submitted for a 200 vehicle park-and-ride scheme close to Bristol Parkway - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/8136365.stm

[JayMac]

The improvements in the bus service, particularly in the evenings, are desperately needed. My journey options on a return trip from London are to either; travel to BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and onward connection to Shirehampton, or BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) then Wessex Connect bus 517/518 to Shirehampton. I generally chose the first option if I am returning mid/late evening as I can ensure, through NRES^▸ (National Rail Enquiry Service), that the Severn Beach service is running. During the day I find it more convenient to travel to BPW and pick up the onward bus. This bus service almost takes me to my door and during the day runs at 4 per hour. However after 7pm it runs only once hourly and I have been stranded now on 3 occasions when the last bus has failed to show. I am greatful that Wessex Connect refunded my taxi fares (eventually) but I no longer take the risk and prefer to walk home (burning a few calories - always a good thing!) from Shirehampton station.

And a passenger service on the Henbury 'loop' would really suit me. I could then choose to walk home from a new Henbury Station or Shirehampton. I'm almost slap bang between the two. What would I do with all this choice!!

[Tim]

I am planning to park my car at Bristol parkway at about 10:30am on a week Sunday, colelcting it at about 11pm the following Monday.

I have never done this before, can someone please reassure me that I will get a space and that the fee will be reasonable-ish.

Thanks

[inspector_blakey]

From my (admittedly fairly limited) observations on a Sunday, you should have absolutely no problem finding a parking space. I don't remember it being inordinately expensive but haven't parked there for a few years. It certainly used to be cheaper to park outside than under cover (on the lower deck of the "multi storey" section). I don't know if the Ring-go system works at Parkway, but if it does then that will be cheaper than buying a ticket from the machines.

[Tim]

From my (admittedly fairly limited) observations on a Sunday, you should have absolutely no problem finding a parking space. I don't remember it being inordinately expensive but haven't parked there for a few years. It certainly used to be cheaper to park outside than under cover (on the lower deck of the "multi storey" section). I don't know if the Ring-go system works at Parkway, but if it does then that will be cheaper than buying a ticket from the machines.

thanks