9 January 2008
Park and Ride drives change with motorists
SPT's jam-busting Park and Ride scheme at Glasgow Subway stations is going from strength to strength with figures showing a massive increase in usage last year.
By the end of 2007, a total of 289,863 vehicles had accessed the four facilities at Shields Road, Kelvinbridge, Bridge Street and West Street.
That was a 40% increase on 2006 when 212,184 vehicles accessed the sites.
Shields Road on the city's south side proved the most popular, with a 92% increase in usage as drivers opted to make their final leg of the journey into the city by Subway.
Capacity at the site doubled when SPT opened a new multi-storey car park in October 2006.
Gordon Maclennan, SPT Assistant Chief Executive, said the use of Shields Road had rocketed over the busy Christmas period.
He said: "Park and Ride is a great way to avoid city centre congestion and easing traffic flow.
"Passengers are choosing more and more to use it to free up their journey.
"Shields Road is a fantastic success story with a continued increase in usage – over double the amount of cars are now using it since it opened in October 2006. If you haven’t used the service, give it a go."
Tokens for all day parking can be purchased for use with all but single tickets.
Passenger Frank Mungall, 50, from Carmunnock, said the Park and Ride facility provided him with an ideal travel solution on a stormy winter's day in Glasgow.
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| "I got from Shields Road to Buchanan Subway station in about five minutes." - Frank Mungall |
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He said: "When I was driving into town today the weather was absolutely dreadful and I was almost inclined to turn back.
"But when I got to Shields Road car park I decided to get a Park and Ride ticket.
"It was an absolute breeze. I got from Shields Road to Buchanan Subway station in about five minutes."
By the end of 2007, 169,193 vehicles had accessed Shields Road Park and Ride.
Bridge Street ranked second, with 60,179 passing through the barriers. A total of 42,359 vehicles accessed Kelvinbridge and 18,132 passed through the gates at West Street.
In December alone, 35,740 vehicles used the four Park and Ride sites, compared with 30,335 in December 2006.
ends