Price hike for Bristol park and rides
Bristol's park and ride fares are going up at the end of the month.
A Saturday return goes up from £2 to £2.50 (up 25 per cent), a peak return goes up from £3 to £3.50 (up 16.66 per cent) and the annual season ticket will cost £80 more at £580 (16 per cent ).
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Price hike for Bristol park and rides
The revised fares take effect from June 29.
Bristol's Tory councillors have condemned the increases as "truly shocking".
Bristol City Council has contracts with First Bus and Wessex Connect to run the park & ride sites at Brislington, Long Ashton and Portway.
But council taxpayers are forking out a subsidy of £850,000 this year to help pay for park and ride services.
Despite this, there is still a shortfall of £160,000 which has to be met by increasing fares.
Tory transport spokeswoman Councillor Barbara Lewis said: "This massive above-inflation rise is truly shocking.
"At a time when we are supposed to be encouraging alternatives to the car, we see the commuter being hit with increases in the cost of travelling to work.
"I find it ironic that during the recent local election campaign, Bristol's Lib Dems trumpeted their intention to introduce an Edinburgh-style £1 bus fare across Bristol.
"Yet Councillor Jon Rogers, their Executive Member for Transport cynically approved this increase in the cost of park and ride in April."
Councillor Rogers, who is in charge of the council's transport department, said the increases were agreed in February.
He said: "Council taxpayers in Bristol should not be over-subsidising visitors who come to the city and use the park and ride services. They are still extremely good value for money."
33 Comments
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by Ron Hardie, Longwell Green
Sunday, June 28 2009, 4:37PM
“I can't understand why anyone is surprised - surely you didn't expect to see promises kept !,by the way how cynical is it to suggest that visitors to Bristol have to pay more for travel round the city - surely we should be really glad to see them and be encouraging visitors - or have I got it wrong somehow !!”
by george, Briz
Monday, June 22 2009, 8:06PM
“Everybody back in their cars, well done Lib doughnuts.”
by Mike, Bristol
Monday, June 22 2009, 5:45PM
“The Libe Dems have demonstrated to me that they were a very bad choice.
The park and ride is one of Bristol's great services, it's fairly priced and very efficent and gives something back to the people of Bristol and saves massive amounts of cash for familes and stops polution.
What are they going to spend the saved money on. Saved money should be going on projects such as this. Be warned Bristol public it could be worse, they could have been elected to government.”
by michelle, Bristol
Monday, June 22 2009, 4:00PM
“I'd prefer to pay this. At least its for us and not a moat for a damn politician.”
by Mark, Bristol
Monday, June 22 2009, 3:20PM
“Lets all stop complaining,and just continue paying our council tax,a proportion of which will go towards Oscar Hamilton Dreeds dividends.”
by colin, Bristol
Monday, June 22 2009, 3:11PM
“Dean,what do you mean"makes Bristol lseem like a little backwater village" IT IS.”
by GARY, bristol
Monday, June 22 2009, 2:46PM
“all the ones that use brislinton p and r if u take your car to the centre you will be using about an extra £1.50 of petrol each day and its the council that putting the prices up not the bus companies”
by David, Bristol
Monday, June 22 2009, 2:39PM
“I agree Cologne is great for getting around and Bristol is shocking but we actually have rather good 3 park and rides. I can only really comment on the Portway one but its one bit of public transportation that works very well.”
by Dean, Cologne
Monday, June 22 2009, 2:14PM
“The transport system in Bristol is terrible. In Cologne I have no need to own a car. I can get anywhere in the city using trains, tubes and buses all for a monthly pass for 74 euro's. Cologne's transport makes Bristol seem like a little back water village.”
by cath, Somerset
Monday, June 22 2009, 2:07PM
“Why do all of you think that it will be better to drive into Bristol?
You will certainly use alot more fuel than the price increase, not to mention the traffic jam queues and then the extortionate parking prices in Bristol!
£3.50 is very good value for money!”