Alfreton station - car parking charges to be introduced

[Paul Harley]

Station car parking charges of £3/day are to be introduced by Central
Trains at Alfreton w.e.f. 12/09.

CT say they are responding to complaints of non-rail users parking in
the station car park. Unfortunately, as in many other places where
there is this problem, rail users are not being allowed to off-set the
car parking charge against their fares through a voucher system.

So anyone doing "Park & Ride" at Alfreton station could see their
costs increasing by £3 each day (unless they purchase a season).

Further details are in this article
http://www.chesterfieldtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=728&ArticleID=1131340

I find it disappointing that many TOCs regard station car parks
principally as a source of revenue, rather than a service aimed to
persuade the public to get out of their cars and onto the trains.

Paul Harley

[Matt Wheeler]

Post by Paul Harley
Station car parking charges of £3/day are to be introduced by
Central
Trains at Alfreton w.e.f. 12/09.
CT say they are responding to complaints of non-rail users parking in
the station car park. Unfortunately, as in many other places where
there is this problem, rail users are not being allowed to off-set the
car parking charge against their fares through a voucher system.

Do any Train companies/stations operate their car parks on that basis
? Most I've seen (mainly around South East on Chiltern and South
Eastern Trains) don't... i've certainly not seen any car parks that
allow you to offset the parking against the train fare, is this a
"regional" thing ?

[Alan J. Flavell]

Post by Matt Wheeler
Do any Train companies/stations operate their car parks on that basis
? Most I've seen (mainly around South East on Chiltern and South
Eastern Trains) don't... i've certainly not seen any car parks that
allow you to offset the parking against the train fare, is this a
"regional" thing ?

Glasgow Subway (Underground) car park is only available to those who
hold or buy a travel ticket. The ticket office issues the token which
opens the exit barrier, on payment of the parking fee and purchase of
a ticket (or presentation of a season ticket etc.).

http://www.spt.co.uk/subway/facts05.html#parkandride

[Not Here]

Post by Alan J. Flavell

Post by Matt Wheeler
Do any Train companies/stations operate their car parks on that basis
? Most I've seen (mainly around South East on Chiltern and South
Eastern Trains) don't... i've certainly not seen any car parks that
allow you to offset the parking against the train fare, is this a
"regional" thing ?

Glasgow Subway (Underground) car park is only available to those who
hold or buy a travel ticket. The ticket office issues the token which
opens the exit barrier, on payment of the parking fee and purchase of
a ticket (or presentation of a season ticket etc.).
http://www.spt.co.uk/subway/facts05.html#parkandride

Well, the last time I was at the Academy and parked in Bridge Street car
park, I didn't need a subway ticket to park in the car park. Suppose it
depends who is on in the ticket office.

[Roland Perry]

In message <***@pipex.net>, at
08:11:40 on Fri, 2 Sep 2005, Matt Wheeler

Post by Matt Wheeler
Do any Train companies/stations operate their car parks on that basis
? Most I've seen (mainly around South East on Chiltern and South
Eastern Trains) don't... i've certainly not seen any car parks that
allow you to offset the parking against the train fare, is this a
"regional" thing ?

You could get 50% of your parking fee refunded if you bought a train
ticket at Cambridge. That was when WAGN ran the station, I don't know if
One has the same scheme.

[o***@hotmail.com]

Post by Matt Wheeler
Do any Train companies/stations operate their car parks on that basis
? Most I've seen (mainly around South East on Chiltern and South
Eastern Trains) don't... i've certainly not seen any car parks that
allow you to offset the parking against the train fare, is this a
"regional" thing ?

South West Trains do (or at least did) this with the car park at Alton.
When you buy a pay and display ticket you also get a voucher to offset
part of the cost of daily parking against purchase of a rail ticket.
Interestingly, they seem to allow this 'discount' off of Mid-Hants
Railway tickets too.

[Paul Scott]

Post by Paul Harley
Station car parking charges of £3/day are to be introduced by Central
Trains at Alfreton w.e.f. 12/09.
CT say they are responding to complaints of non-rail users parking in
the station car park. Unfortunately, as in many other places where
there is this problem, rail users are not being allowed to off-set the
car parking charge against their fares through a voucher system.

Do any Train companies/stations operate their car parks on that basis ?
Most I've seen (mainly around South East on Chiltern and South Eastern
Trains) don't... i've certainly not seen any car parks that allow you to
offset the parking against the train fare, is this a "regional" thing ?

Yes, eg SWT, where parking at Fareham is GBP 4.90 per day, with 2.00
refunded when you buy a rail ticket. Presumably because they have spare
capacity for use by non rail users (as discovered at Alfreton?)

Paul

[Neil Williams]

On Fri, 2 Sep 2005 08:11:40 +0100, "Matt Wheeler"

Post by Matt Wheeler
i've certainly not seen any car parks that
allow you to offset the parking against the train fare, is this a
"regional" thing ?

Probably.

The difference between the "regions" and the South East is that people
will travel by car to the station then by train to London more or less
whatever the cost, as they have to in order to get to work, with
driving to London being such an expensive and unpleasant proposition.


Elsewhere in the country, certainly on local lines, it is necessary to
encourage more rail travellers by providing conveniences like free car
parks, but you obviously want to discourage non-rail-users from
parking there, for example if all the other car parks in the area make
a charge.

Neil

[Tony Polson]

Post by Paul Harley
Station car parking charges of £3/day are to be introduced by Central
Trains at Alfreton w.e.f. 12/09.
CT say they are responding to complaints of non-rail users parking in
the station car park. Unfortunately, as in many other places where
there is this problem, rail users are not being allowed to off-set the
car parking charge against their fares through a voucher system.
So anyone doing "Park & Ride" at Alfreton station could see their
costs increasing by £3 each day (unless they purchase a season).
Further details are in this article
http://www.chesterfieldtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=728&ArticleID=1131340
I find it disappointing that many TOCs regard station car parks
principally as a source of revenue, rather than a service aimed to
persuade the public to get out of their cars and onto the trains.

Welcome to the wonderful world of rail privatisation.

Greed rules OK.

[Paul Scott]

Post by Tony Polson

Post by Paul Harley
I find it disappointing that many TOCs regard station car parks
principally as a source of revenue, rather than a service aimed to
persuade the public to get out of their cars and onto the trains.

Welcome to the wonderful world of rail privatisation.
Greed rules OK.

So car parking charges at Railway stations are a post privatisation change?

Paul

[Neil Williams]

On Fri, 2 Sep 2005 11:43:12 +0000 (UTC), "Paul Scott"

Post by Paul Scott
So car parking charges at Railway stations are a post privatisation change?

Outside London, the South East and major IC stations, pretty much,
yes. For example, all Merseyrail-operated[1] station car parks on the
Merseyrail network are free of charge and always have been - and this
is a deliberate policy decision to encourage people to drive to the
station rather than all the way. Most of Northern's are as well, as
was previously the case with many CT stations.

[1] Car parks at Southport, Chester and central Liverpool are not
operated by Merseyrail so don't count ;)

Neil

[Bevan Price]

Post by Paul Harley
Station car parking charges of £3/day are to be introduced by Central
Trains at Alfreton w.e.f. 12/09.
CT say they are responding to complaints of non-rail users parking in
the station car park. Unfortunately, as in many other places where
there is this problem, rail users are not being allowed to off-set the
car parking charge against their fares through a voucher system.
So anyone doing "Park & Ride" at Alfreton station could see their
costs increasing by £3 each day (unless they purchase a season).
Further details are in this article
http://www.chesterfieldtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=728&ArticleID=1131340
I find it disappointing that many TOCs regard station car parks
principally as a source of revenue, rather than a service aimed to
persuade the public to get out of their cars and onto the trains.
Paul Harley

If I recall correctly, Alfreton station is a long uphill walk (10 - 15
minutes) to the town centre. Do they really get a lot of non-rail users in
the station car park, or is just an excuse to try and increase revenue. I
suspect that the real effect will be to encourage local passengers to drive
to Chesterfield or Nottingham rather than accept what is essentially a £3
increase in their fare.

Pre - Virgin, WCML stations like Wigan North Western used to give a part
refund on car park tickets when you bought a rail ticket. Since Virgin,
there have been BIG increases in car park fees, and no refunds for rail
passengers. Runcorn station car park charge is so high that I am sure most
people going to Liverpool probably drive, rather than pay a parking fee
probably costing more than the rail fare.

Fortunately, some stations in PTE areas still provide free parking for rail
users, and they sometimes check that you really are travelling by train.

Bevan

[David Jackson]

Post by Bevan Price
Runcorn station car park charge is so high that I am sure most
people going to Liverpool probably drive, rather than pay a parking fee
probably costing more than the rail fare.

As a shade of "Runcorn Ferry" I almost expect the notice to say "£5 per
day. Per day, or per part of per day." It doesn't, not quite.

[Roland Perry]

I suspect that the real effect will be to encourage local passengers to
drive to Chesterfield or Nottingham rather than accept what is
essentially a £3 increase in their fare.

Nottingham station car park charges about £6 a day, and there's no
viable free parking nearby. (Although there are places £2 return bus
fare and 15 minutes away where you could).

[Jonathan Stott]

Post by Paul Harley
I find it disappointing that many TOCs regard station car parks
principally as a source of revenue, rather than a service aimed to
persuade the public to get out of their cars and onto the trains.

Sometimes there's a genuine reason. Take Tamworth which recently had car
park charges introduced. When the car park was free, it would be full to
overflowing with people parking there and then taking the 5 minute walk
into town. This makes it difficult (read: impossible) for those who need
to drive to the station to find a parking place. Also, with the car park
full, people were parking on the bus turning circle and drop-off area.
Result was that the bus company, Arriva, stopped stopping at the
station, meaning that you have a five minute walk to the nearest bus
stop if you aren't going into Tamworth.

[Alan Osborn]

Post by Paul Harley
CT say they are responding to complaints of non-rail users parking in
the station car park. Unfortunately, as in many other places where
there is this problem, rail users are not being allowed to off-set the
car parking charge against their fares through a voucher system.

Rail Fares voucher for Car-parking I wish it were true
you surely have a luxury if Central Trains operate this
Locally what I pay for car-parking nullifies my railcard discount.

Where station car-parks are convenient for rail users such as at Oxford
I understand You have to show proof that you are a rail traveller else
you pay a premium. Rail pax only have to pay £4 (may be more now) to
park their car.

[Ross]

On Sun, 4 Sep 2005 15:15:38 +0100, Alan Osborn wrote in

Post by Alan Osborn

Post by Paul Harley
CT say they are responding to complaints of non-rail users parking in
the station car park. Unfortunately, as in many other places where
there is this problem, rail users are not being allowed to off-set the
car parking charge against their fares through a voucher system.

Rail Fares voucher for Car-parking I wish it were true
you surely have a luxury if Central Trains operate this

CT used to at Lincoln. GBP 5 per day, GBP 2 refund at ticket office
for ticket holders/when buying ticket.

They stopped doing it a year or two back, with the daily rate going
from GBP 5/GBP 3 to (currently) a flat GBP 3.50 for all users. Net
result? Car park now full of non-rail users for whom the CT car park
is cheaper than the local NCP and council car parks.

Mind you, even when it was GBP 5-plus-refund,the car park was still
used by a significant number of non-rail users. But I bet that putting
the price up enough to deter those people would also cause an outcry
from the rail-user-parkers, even if the voucher off-set was
reintroduced to maintain the current price for the rail users.