For a trial period, Greater Anglia has reduced the cost of parking at some of its railway stations in an effort to attract people back to rail travel.
During the pandemic, passenger numbers fell significantly but although they have been recovering, some car parks have not experienced the expected levels of growth.
In an endeavour to find out how people's travelling and parking habits have changed since lockdown, Greater Anglia ran a survey. As a result, from next Monday, 23rd January for three months it is reducing parking costs at the following 14 stations: Audley End, Billericay, Bishop's Stortford, Broxbourne, Diss, Harlow Town, Hatfield Peverel, Kelvedon, Lowestoft, Manningtree, March, Marks Tey, Rayleigh, Whittlesford and Wickford.
New, hourly parking tariffs have also been introduced at 30 Greater Anglia station car parks to provide people with a cheaper option of up to four hours for £1 an hour if they're not planning to park all day.
The company has also introduced a flexible parking season ticket that allows passengers to park at stations for two or three days a week at a discount of up to 12.5 per cent. The new tickets give eight parking sessions that can be used on any day but must be used within 28 days of purchase, and match the new Flexi Season train ticket.
Greater Anglia was recently awarded People's Parking accreditation for 12 of its station car parks. The accreditation certifies that the car parks have good signage and pedestrian routes, are well lit, clean, well-managed, well-located, and have a range of payment options. It also highlights car parks with facilities for disabled people, parents with children, cyclists and motorcyclists, electric vehicles, light commercial vehicles, camper vans, and wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
Stations with People's Parking accreditation are Attleborough, Audley End, Billericay, Broxbourne, Cambridge, Cambridge North, Hatfield Peverel, Ingatestone, Kelvedon, Marks Tey, Rayleigh and Wickford.
Except for the new discounted tickets, other tariffs and prices have been frozen since 2020. I can find details of the new prices online at gaparking.co.uk
Simone Bailey, Greater Anglia's asset management director, said: “With fares frozen until March and our discounted car parking offer, the next few months are a great time to save money by taking the train for part of your journey.
“Our spacious car parks and quick connections into the region's towns and cities are a great ‘park and ride' option helping to avoid town centre congestion and pollution – and are a great way to reduce your carbon footprint.
“With our easy payment options, our car parks are really convenient and we have invested millions in making sure they are maintained to a high standard and are secure, well-lit and well-managed to offer customers the best possible experience.”
This year, Greater Anglia has invested over £34,000 to improve some of its car parks with new markings and repairs to tarmac surfaces. They also now comply with Equality legislation by ensuring that accessible parking spaces are clearly defined, have the correct number of accessible spaces, and that there is the appropriate distance between vehicles in the accessible bays. These car parks are at Cheshunt, Dovercourt, Harling Road, Hatfield Peverel, Hockley, North Fambridge, Prittlewell, Rochford, Sawbridgeworth, South Woodham Ferrers, Stowmarket, Thorpe-Le- Soken, Whittlesford Parkway and Wivenhoe.
Still no news on when the new station building at Wickford is to be built.
How lovely it would be if Greater Anglia and other train operating companies gave the same attention to integration with bus services as they lavish on car drivers.