South Wales Echo

Park and ride hike ‘will put people off’

-

INCREASING the cost of using Cardiff’s park and ride will discourage people from using the service, it has been claimed.

Councillor­s and commuters both say that by increasing the charges, it will discourage drivers from using it.

There are three sites in the city and Cardiff council announced late last week that prices would go up from Monday, with cars carrying more than one passenger facing a price hike.

There are three sites – Pentwyn, Leckwith and County Hall.

At Pentwyn, a site mostly used by commuters, the pre-8.30am “early bird” offer still stands at £2 for the day if there is one person in the car, but has been raised to £3 otherwise.

After 8.30am, it now costs £4 for a vehicle with just a driver or £5 for vehicles carrying any passengers.

Gabalfa’s Lib Dem councillor Ed Bridges said that upping prices would discourage people using the site.

“We should be encouragin­g people to car share as much as possible – yet the council has brought in an extra charge for people who do. The priorities seem completely skewed, and the feedback I get is that the park and ride is already uncompetit­ively priced. I can’t see these changes helping at all.”

Lib Dem colleague Joseph Carter said the hike “sends the wrong message”.

Comments on the Pentwyn and Llanedeyrn Facebook page suggest people will opt for a regular Cardiff Bus service which is cheaper at £1.80 a single or £3.60 a day ticket.

Sian Nicholls said: “I use it often to go into town, but at these prices won’t be using it again!! It is cheaper to get a normal bus.”

Emma Sandrey said: “Businesses in Cardiff Gate are also encouragin­g staff to use this to ease the congestion problems on that feeder road. This may well set that progress backwards.”

David Bray said: “Really bad decision, think they will lose more money by people not using it any more than they will gain putting fares up.”

But one driver said it was still cheaper to use the park and ride than to pay for parking in the city centre.

Cardiff council says the price rise brings the city into line with others, including York and Bristol, and has been introduced to bring in “consistenc­y” to prices.

 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom