Soapbox: Bristol park and ride problems

This year and past years, at the Bristol harbour regatta – an event which is probably the biggest of the year in the centre of Bristol, the park and ride services did not run on the Sunday. It was a big topic of discussion in your paper after the event, as I'm sure people will remember.

Also in past years, on the Sundays leading up to Christmas, the Long Ashton Park and Ride did not operate, although the Bath Road one did. I'm not sure about the Portway one.

All sorts of reasons why it didn't operate were given – mainly down to cost. It is difficult to comprehend, because the council wants us to go into Bristol and spend our money Christmas shopping, they don't want us to use our cars, there's a very sparse ordinary bus service on a Sunday, yet they won't operate the park and ride. It is crying out to be open on those Sundays, otherwise we have no option but to use our cars, which means parking becomes a costly problem and I'd be more inclined to go elsewhere.

Now, having said all this, what happens? We have the Bristol Half Marathon last Sunday and lo and behold, there is a park and ride service. Not only is it operating, they even manage to change the usual route of it, which takes some organisation.

Can someone please tell me the logic behind it all?

Aunt Edith,

Nailsea.