Council forced to rethink P&R operation

Buses

Wokingham Borough Council is rethinking how a new  park-and-ride site will be served after the owners of a nearby business park requested significantly more cash to serve the facility with their shuttle buses. 

The 258-space park-and-ride site is located at Thames Valley Park, at the end of the A329(M), on the eastern edge of Reading and adjacent to the Thames Valley Business Park. 

During the planning stages of the site, Wokingham reached in principle agreement with the business park’s management that its shuttle buses between Reading town centre and the business park would serve the facility. The council would have provided a 50 per cent share of car park revenues to contribute towards the upkeep of the service. 

Wokingham has now abandoned the plan, saying the business park subsequently asked for a “significantly higher financial contribution”. 

The council now plans to tender a dedicated park-and-ride contract, operating between 07.00 and 19.00 Monday to Friday.

A £6 all-day parking fee will apply at the site from Mondays to Fridays, regardless of the duration of the stay. At weekends and bank holidays parking charges will be £1.50 an hour up to a maximum of four hours, and £6 for longer. 

“It is intended that the bus service will be funded by the council using revenue collected from on-site parking,” said Sarah Hollamby, Wokingham’s director for place and growth, in a report to councillors last week.