Visitors to the beautiful market town of Stratford-upon-Avon have been making the most of exciting new benefits available to users of the Stratford Park and Ride car park and bus service this summer.
The added benefits which include free parking, extended bus times and great value tickets, available until Sunday 17 September, have seen a 74% increase in visitors using the Park & Ride service in the first four weeks of the summer holidays compared to the same period in 2022.
The biggest increase has been in purchases of the great value £2 adult return bus fare, which during the summer includes up to two children travelling for free. Return group bus tickets are also proving popular, costing only £3.30 for up to five people, and dogs are now welcome additions on the buses too provided they are well-behaved.
The Park and Ride bus service has been extended to finish later in the day throughout the summer, with the final bus leaving Stratford to return to the car park at 19:28. Park and Ride buses run every 15 minutes for most of each day, and the journey from the car park into the town centre takes approximately 10-12 minutes.
The 7-day a week bus service and free all-day car parking for visitors will also be available until 17 September, at which point the service will return to 6-days a week and its usual car parking fees. The car park is open daily and has more than 700 parking spaces available, including several EV charging points.
Visitors can find the car park along Bishopton Lane (CV37 0RJ) with easy access from the roundabout with the A46 and the A3400 Birmingham Road. Once onsite, there is a passenger terminal with seating and toilets available Monday to Saturday 7.30am to 12.30pm.
The car park is also next to Stratford Parkway train station, with regular trains running to Stratford-upon-Avon train station which is only a 10-minute walk from the town centre. Stratford Parkway is also ideal for those who would like to park at the Park & Ride car park before taking the train north to local sites such as Mary Arden’s Farm by Wilmcote train station, the historic town of Henley-in-Arden, or travel further afield towards Birmingham.
For those who would prefer an active walk or cycle into Stratford town centre, visitors can park their car for free at Stratford Park & Ride car park and join the local canal towpath into the town centre. This scenic route is approximately 2800m (1.75 miles) and takes around 40 minutes to reach the town centre on foot, or less than ten minutes by bike as the canal towpath features on the National Cycle Network Route 5.
Cllr Jan Matecki, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, said:
“Public transport and active travel are important modes of travel to be encouraged across Warwickshire’s towns and villages to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Stratford has two train stations, multiple bus services including the Park & Ride, and many public pathways into the town centre that we can all use to support a reduction in air pollution.
“I encourage all visitors to make the most of the added Park & Ride benefits this summer, and hope that this becomes the chosen mode of transport for many who visit this historic market town.”
Cllr Tim Sinclair, Warwickshire County Council Member for Stratford North, said:
"It is great that we are seeing such a positive increase in visitors using the Park & Ride service this summer, and that people are discovering its many benefits as a convenient, enjoyable, and great value service. The increased use of Stratford Park & Ride not only enriches the visitor experience on a day out, but means there will be fewer cars in the town centre which further supports a reduction in Stratford’s traffic congestion”.
To discover more about the new benefits of using Stratford Park and Ride this summer, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/stratfordparkandride/summer
For general information about Stratford Park and Ride car park and bus service, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/stratfordparkandride