1 February 2008
Park and Ride offers rail alternative
An increased number of motorists in South Lanarkshire now have the option of reducing their car journeys following the opening of a free Park and Ride Facility in Hamilton.
The car park at Ferniegair will serve passengers using nearby Chatelherault station and builds on the success of the new Larkhall Rail Line.
The £250,000 site is a joint venture by South Lanarkshire Council and Persimmon Homes and has capacity for about 100 vehicles.
It is located close to Persimmon Homes’ new Royale Court development.
Councillor Chris Thompson, Chair of Enterprise Resources at South Lanarkshire Council, said: "This is further good news for rail passengers in the area and shows the benefits which can be achieved from the public and private sectors working together.
"An extra 100 free car parking spaces will make it even easier for people to leave their cars in a safe location and jump on the train.
"We want to encourage as many people as possible to use public transport and the provision of facilities such as this is vital to achieving our sustainable transport goals."
The Park and Ride facility's opening follows on from the success of the Larkhall to Milngavie Rail Line.
The route was officially opened by then First Minister Jack McConnell on 9 December, 2005.
The project was funded by Scottish ministers and SPT in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council and was Scotland’s largest rail enhancement project for 25 years.
In December, SPT announced plans to fund Sunday train services between Larkhall and Glasgow for a year, taking in stations at Merryton, Chatelherault, Hamilton Central, Hamilton West, Blantyre and Rutherglen.
Councillor Davie McLachlan, Vice-Chair of SPT, said: "The number of passengers using the Larkhall line has exceeded all expectations and this new car park should help increase patronage even further.
"Parking and Riding is becoming more and more popular – in fact, the number of Park and Ride spaces in South Lanarkshire has increased from 599 spaces in 1994 to over 1,800 spaces now, which shows the demand for these facilities.
"We would encourage everyone to give Park and Ride a try as it’s an excellent way to avoid congestion and takes the stress out of finding a parking space."
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