what our passengers say
Denise is loving life in the bus lane as she relaxes on her way to work in the city centre
Denise has been enjoying the benefits of park & ride ever since the scheme started in 2014. She drives from her home in Warsash, parks her car, boards the bus for the last couple of miles into the centre and gets off at Victoria Park to walk to her place of work. “I quite enjoy the walk through Victoria Park to my office because the fresh air makes me feel invigorated before beginning my working day.
“It's a real bonus not having to drive those last couple of miles into the city. I have worked out that you can get another few journeys out of the same tank of fuel by using park & ride. Also, you're not sitting in traffic and you don't have to pay to park in the city. It costs me just £2 a day for park & ride using a smartcard and because I don't have to pay to park and I'm also saving fuel, I reckon it saves me between £10 and £15 a week in total.
“It's a good feeling knowing you are not adding to the traffic going into the city centre and that you are saving fuel. The bus drivers are always pleasant and friendly and it's nice to be able to sit back on the last leg of your journey and relax or chat to friends and colleagues,”
Denise says. “I've recommended park & ride to all my family and friends as the best option for getting into the city and I am pleased to say many of them now also use this fantastic service.”
Joanne and Ian can be confident their car is parked safely as use park & ride to travel to work
Joanne and Ian use park & ride most days to get to work and also sometimes for going out at weekends. They have been using park & ride for a couple of years now and have found it to be a cheap and efficient way of getting into the city centre. “We have to travel in from outside Fareham and if we came in all the way on the bus it would take much longer. Also, where we live is not at all handy for the railway station.”
“Sometimes I have a short walk across Victoria Park, which I find enjoyable. At the weekends I sometimes use park & ride to get to Gunwharf Quays.”
secure parking
Perhaps the biggest plus point for Joanne and Ian is the safe parking at the park & ride terminal. “It is the most cost effective way of parking for the city centre and it feels much more secure than the previous car park where we used to rent a space,” she says.
convenient ways to pay
Joanne likes having a smartcard that she can top up easily whenever she needs to. She says: “It is a quick process that I need to do only occasionally. We buy trips in bulk using the smartcard products to save money. I am also grateful that the park & ride bus saves me time on my way to work because it travels in the bus lane and can overtake cars going into the city centre.
It is great that park & ride has reduced the number of cars travelling into the centre each day and I try to encourage more people to use it."
John sits back and listens to music as he is fast tracked into the city centre with park & ride
John has been using park & ride for two years both for travelling to work and for leisure trips.
John likes to listen to music on his way to work and is happy to let the bus driver have the responsibility for transporting him quickly into the city centre. “It's the perfect way for me to get to work and I think it's a great initiative. There is a bus every 15 minutes, so you don't have to wait long after you get to the park & ride terminal.” John says.
John buys a smartcard which works out at £2 a day. He says: “I have more than halved my costs by using the park & ride instead of the train from Cosham.
John has a smartcard and either tops it up at the ticket machine or on line when he is at home. “I just do whatever suits me at the time. It is so easy and convenient and I can do it all on my phone. I keep my smartcard in my wallet and use it when I get on the bus. It couldn't be easier.
“I think it is much better environmentally to use park & ride rather than take your own car into the city centre and I am pleased to play my part in helping to make the air cleaner for everyone.”
Sara enjoys the view from the window as she is whisked into the city centre on the park & ride bus
Sara uses park & ride four days a week to get to work and also sometimes uses the service at weekends. Well aware of the amount of traffic on the roads, Sara is glad to be able to use park & ride to get into the city centre. “I travel to work in the mornings during the rush hour and have to drive ten miles from my home in Denmead to get to the park & ride terminal. I am often held up in traffic and the journey can take as long as 45 minutes if it is particularly bad. It is always a great relief to park the car and get on the bus to go into the city centre.” Sara says.
“I used to have free parking with my job but when that stopped I started using park & ride because it worked out much cheaper than paying for parking in the city centre. I have a smartcard and top it up on line at home. It works out at £2 a day and I know I would have to pay much more for petrol and to park in the city centre,” Sara says.
“For the ten minutes I am on the bus I just sit and look out of the window. It sails past the traffic because it has a dedicated lane. There are always so many cars going into the city centre at that time, I am glad to be able to sit back and relax for the last stretch. It is so much hassle driving into the city centre, I don't know why more people don't use park & ride.
“I know that when the bus comes I will always get a seat. The buses are very clean and smart and all the drivers are lovely. They are always patient, helpful and friendly with the passengers. There is somewhere clean and pleasant where you can wait for the bus at the terminal if you want to be inside. At the weekends I am happy to drop my teenage children off at the park & ride terminal so they can use the bus to go into the city centre,” Sara says.