Shock Park and Ride figures revealed
Scarborough park and ride passenger numbers have slumped by almost half in the past five years, figures show.
North Yorkshire County Council has ploughed almost £2million into the Seamer Road and Filey Road sites between 2011 and 2016 while getting nothing in return with passenger fares retained by East Yorkshire Motor Services, the park and ride operator.
Park and ride users have dropped by 42% at the Seamer Road site from 238,694 in 2011/12 to 137,948 in 2015/16 while the numbers at the Filey
Road site went from 294,468 to 162,762 in the same time period - a decrease of 45%.
The county council believes the decline is down to a new scheme introduced in 2012 which meant concessionary fare pass holders could not longer travel free of charge.
A council spokesman said: “From April 2012 we introduced the scheme so the pass holders had to pay a discounted fare on the Scarborough park and ride. Passenger numbers therefore reduced, which was not unexpected.”
The scheme was introduced in 2009 to increase visitor numbers into Scarborough – and to significantly reduce congestion in the town centre, with users praising the service which is provided.
As part of the transport contract, North Yorkshire County Council pays EYMS to operate the park and ride services.
In 2011/12, the council paid £198,978.32 to EYMS to run the service. This was decreased significantly in 2012/13 due to that contract, which ended in February 2013, that meant payments were front loaded to the early years.
When the contract was retendered, payments were spread more evenly across the contract life.
County councillor Sam Cross said: “I am disgusted that taxpayers’ money is being wasted on this scheme. We have got to look at the viability of the service and see how we can use that £2million better for the people of Scarborough.
“Whitby’s park and ride closes during the off-season, I think we need to take the same approach in Scarborough. Money is going into running empty buses when the resources could be used better elsewhere.”
The promotion of the service by EYMS has been questioned by Cllr Cross with the company using leaflet distribution, social media and their website.
EYMS declined to comment.
The council says in a survey it conducted in 2013, that a total of 95% of passengers said they knew they were going to use the park and ride prior to travelling to Scarborough.
The basic fare for an adult is £1.20 single and £2.40 return with those prices halved for children and those part of the concessionary fare scheme.
Park and ride users spoke to The Scarborough News at the Filey Road site and backed it. Pat South, 77, of Flamborough, uses the park and ride service once a week. She said: “We have been using this service for years and it is the best way of parking in Scarborough.
“I found out about it in your paper. You avoid the busy town centre and the bus lanes make it so much easier to get in and out.”
Colin and Anita Singleton travelled to Scarborough from their home in Leven, East Yorkshire. They said: “We used to park in the centre of Scarborough but we changed our minds after seeing it advertised online. It is a great service and we always use it now.”
Mrs Briggs, of Castleford, said: “We have a caravan in Sewerby and we use the park and ride regularly in the summer months. We found out about the park and ride when we saw a sign coming into town and decided it was the most convenient option.”
On top of the transport contract, North Yorkshire County Council has paid almost£1millioninexpensesfor the two sites since 2011 which includes bus running costs, maintenance, rates, cleaning and electricity.
The additional costs add to £211,808.45 in 2011/12 includes of a one-off £15,459 payment to EYMS for revenue guarantee. The expenses figure was £195,636.55 the following year before reducing to £170,740.90 between 2015/16.
A council spokesman: “Right from the start of the service the council knew it is not viable for an operator to run the services on a commerical basis without financial support from the authority.”
The current contract with EYMS ends on April 7 2017 with a deal already agreed for the transport provider to continue to run the service for the next two years. Despite the worrying decline in numbers, the county council still feels the park and ride service has a long term future in the town.
The council spokesman added: “The service was introduced along with other infrastructureprojectstoprovide choice and contribute towards reducing congestion in the town and both of these are important considerations for visitors when planning a trip to Scarborough.
“The council has no plans to change the operation of the park and ride in the near future. However its performance will continue to be monitored.”