presents

launched on Monday September 5th 2005

http://www.wycombeparkandride.com/

I would acknowledge Best Impressions who produced the image, publicity and web site for this operation.

Monday, 5th September saw the launch of a new initiative by the five supporters indicated above, when a brand new Park & Ride service was introduced for those working and visiting High Wycombe.

Some pictures are thumbnails and need to be clicked on to see the full sized version.

Those in charge have vowed to make the new service, which operates from Crest Road in Cressex a success. With a redevelopment programme now in full swing Bridge Street and Temple Street car parks in High Wycombe are to close from Sunday 4 September and will be non-operational from Monday 5 September. The closure, flagged up previously, arises from the start of major works on Eden, High Wycombe, the town centre’s major redevelopment which will be completed early in 2008.

Wycombe District Council, in anticipation of the car park closure has taken active steps to minimise the inconvenience to workers, shoppers and visitors in the town. The Leader of Wycombe District Council, Cllr Lesley Clarke explained: "We knew this day would arrive and have been planning carefully. The initial impact of this closure can be accommodated by spare capacity in Dovecot car park which is just a few minutes away. We are also introducing Park and Ride to give people an entirely new and convenient option".

The Park and Ride service will operate from September 5, offering free car parking at Cressex Island and a regular service into the town centre every 15 minutes. Fares have been set at economical levels and offer a convenient alternative to bringing your car to town.

"Naturally, we realise, that there are occasions when people really need to bring their car to town" said Cllr Clarke. "With that in mind, we will seek to establish temporary car parking facilities in the future when circumstances demand, but we are confident that, with the support of the public, the spare capacity in Dovecot and the introduction of Park and Ride will allow the town to go about its business with the minimum of inconvenience."

Arriva have been selected to run this new service and for the launch three new 62 passenger capacity buses have been delivered. They are VDL SB120/Wright Cadet buses with 39 seats and standing room for 23 standing passengers. They are wheelchair accessible and when a wheel chair is carried capacity drops 35 seated passengers but remains at 23 standing passengers.

Peter Cartwright wrote to me ahead of the launch to send some pictures which prove most interesting. Peter is a Wycombe District Councillor and much involved in transport issues.

Peter Cartwright issuing a ticket to Cllr Valerie Letheren, Cabinet Member for Transportation at Bucks C.C.
This was taken outside Tesco at the Park and Ride stop in Union Street.
NOTE THE REGISTRATION NUMBER ON TUESDAY 30 AUGUST.

On board the bus - a very hot day. issuing a ticket to Steve Cohen, editor of the Bucks Free Press.

The service operates on a 15 minute frequency throughout the day, Monday to Saturday and costs are £2 return with a reduction to £.50 during the off peak hours between 10am and 4pm. Holders of concessions can travel half price after 9am Monday to Friday and all day on Saturdays. There is also great encouragement to family travel with a £2 off peak fare for up to 2 adults with up to 2 children travelling after 10am Mon-Fri and anytime on Saturdays.

With car parking costing often more than £1 even for a short time and spaces set be at a premium the new service should indeed have a great success.

To launch the new service there is a coupon in this and next week's Bucks Free Press which gives you the chance to sample the new service FREE.

Details of the new buses mentioned above are as follows:

3701    KE55 CKU
3702    KE55 CKO
3703    KE55 CKP

Interestingly they were delivered with 05 registrations but these were voided in time for the September launch.

 
The three new VDLs with 05 registrations - YJ05 PXU, PXV and PYW being prepared for service in late August.

   
The interior of the new buses is bright and airy with each bus having suitable interior branding through posters on the cove panels.

As mentioned above the service started on Monday, September 5th and your Editor sampled the service and took the following photographs on the first day. I was also able to assess the first services up to 0930 and these showed some interesting facts.

The very first passenger on the 0700 had travelled in from Tetsworth and on the same bus there was also another passenger from Flackwell Heath. They were joined by a walking passenger from the estate opposite the car park.

Passengers on subsequent services hailed from Marlow, Sands, Booker, Clay Hill, Twyford, Jordans, Northend, Henley, Aylesbury and Hemel Hempsted.

Comments were interesting in that one lady said most enthusiastically that it was much cheaper than parking in town and another, who worked at Wycombe Hospital, that she would have a 10 month wait for a parking permit. There was an overall high level of acceptance for the new service and I did not hear even one word of criticism.

The car park is protected by SEVEN sets of CCTV camera linked 24hrs to a central control room plus a regular security guard visit. There are also help points for those in need which go straight through to the 24hrs control room.

A large and pleasant waiting room is provided with toilet facilities and shortly a hot drinks machine will be installed. The waiting room will be locked and secured every evening after the last service and the aforementioned security facility will ensure its safety. The waiting room will also have a CCTV camera for safety and security.

For those interested in such matters I record details of the early departures.

All buses departed on time and in nearly all cases were back within the 31 minutes allowed for the round trip. This was good as Monday was the first day back to work and school for many people in the area.

Photo shoot on the first morning.

Arriva 3701 operates the 0700 - first service - on the 100 P & R service from Cressex 5th September 2005

The first passenger from Tetsworth on the first service at 0700 on 5th September 2005

Passenger nr 2 buys her ticket on the first service 5th September 2005

Arriva 3703 welcomes passengers aboard the third departure at 0730 on launch day

Oh dear - spot the deliberate mistake - The bus stop at Cressex Island

Heading for the town centre on the 0930 on board 3702

A very satisfied customer is set down at the Hospital stop on day 1

This lady was really delighted as she works at The Yorkshire Bank

Why do motorists have to park on bus stops?

The new service calls at Cressex Business Park

There is a bus lane for vehicles arriving at the new Park and Ride terminus at Cressex Island

Traffic lights allow the P and R bus to exit the Cressex terminus ahead of the cars.

 
There is large and airy waiting room for intending passengers with well appointed rest room facilities

Seven CCTV camera installations provide 24 hour coverage for safety and security

Jacobs Babtie have provided the technical expertise the provide traffic lights throughout the route which give priority to the bus operation. As the bus covers the two large vehicle relays, so the light change to hold other traffic at Cressex Island. After the bus has exited the lights change to green for that other traffic. Priority measures are in place throughout the route and journey times into and out of town amounts to no more than 15 minutes.

The buses used are very pleasant to ride on and the engine is really rather powerful on the climb out of Wycombe when returning to Cressex. Talking of Cressex and the Business Park, this is served outbound in the morning peak and inbound during the evening peak. At all other times the bus routes via Lancaster Road and Coronation Road in and outbound.

It is pleasing to note that Best Impressions were commissioned to produce the livery and timetables for this service and also the web page. This company also runs a special Park & Ride site for the UK which can be found at http://www.parkandride.net/index.shtml

In conclusion I must say how impressed all those to whom I spoke were. I personally found it hard to criticise the total operation and although there were a number of incidental items to be completed I think we have one of the better thought out Park & Ride service seen recently.

Malcolm Crowe, 5th September 2005