New ticket prices for Essex Park and Ride services

Changes mean services are cheaper for commuters looking to travel into Colchester and Chelmsford city centres.

Prices for Essex Park and Ride services are changing to help encourage more people to use the services and reduce the number of cars in the centres of Colchester and Chelmsford.

The changes will mean commuters pay less on the daily price for peak time travel, as well as for weekday afternoon tickets. Meanwhile, weekend tickets will be brought in line with weekday ticket prices.

All of the price changes follow a public consultation which asked residents their views on the proposals last year. The changes will come into force from Friday 1 September.

The new ticket prices across all the three sites - Colchester, Chelmer Valley and Sandon - will be:

• Adult Day - £3
• Child Day - £1
• Concessionary - £1.50
• Group (two adults, three children) - £5
• Off Peak Day (outward journey between 12noon and 3pm) - £2.50
• 12 for 11 - £33

Councillor Lee Scott, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways Maintenance and Sustainable Transport, said: “Commuters are not using our three Park and Ride sites in the numbers they were pre-pandemic. However, road usage is equalling pre-Covid volumes and people are traveling at different times of the day.

“Increased car usage means more traffic and higher pollution in our city centres. These price changes are aimed at encouraging people to use the Park and Ride at all hours of the day, a move which we hope will bring down emissions and cut congestion.

“With discount group offers for families and cheaper off-peak fares, perfect for an afternoon shopping trip, there’s a ticket for everyone at our Park and Ride sites. Ticket prices are cheaper than city centre car parks and I would urge everyone to give it a go.”

For more information please visit the Essex Park and Ride webpage.