Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

to think Park and Rides are great - but if cities are going to use them, at least make it easy for people to find the correct bus stop to get back

24 replies

cakeorwine · 03/12/2022 18:56

You end up in a city. Have a great time - and then it's hard to find the correct place to get the bus back. Poor sign posting.

Would it not be difficult to have maps up with a signs showing the route you took in and the Park and Ride you got - and then a city map showing the location of the Park and Rides.

Spent a long time in Cambridge trying to find the right bus stop back recently. And Durham as well.

It does put people off using them if you can't easily find your way back.

OP posts:

luxxlisbon · 03/12/2022 18:58

Would it not be difficult to have maps up with a signs showing the route you took in and the Park and Ride you got - and then a city map showing the location of the Park and Rides.

Surely you carry a mobile phone? You have a little map in your bag every day.

Original poster

cakeorwine · 03/12/2022 19:00

luxxlisbon · 03/12/2022 18:58

Would it not be difficult to have maps up with a signs showing the route you took in and the Park and Ride you got - and then a city map showing the location of the Park and Rides.

Surely you carry a mobile phone? You have a little map in your bag every day.

Sometimes it's just easier to look at a big map, see where you came in, see the name of the P&R and look at a city map and see where it is.

OP posts:

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 03/12/2022 19:18

don’t they usually leave from where you got off ?

so you just go back to where you arrived

Original poster

cakeorwine · 03/12/2022 19:19

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 03/12/2022 19:18

don’t they usually leave from where you got off ?

so you just go back to where you arrived

Not the last 2 we got.

OP posts:

bellac11 · 03/12/2022 19:21

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 03/12/2022 19:18

don’t they usually leave from where you got off ?

so you just go back to where you arrived

No, there are usually one way systems in big cities and also you might have walked from one side of the city to another

thefemaleJoshLyman · 03/12/2022 19:22

I find Cambridge a particular nightmare for this, especially if you get the park and ride along the busway from St Ives, so I share your pain @cakeorwine

Soproudoflionesses · 03/12/2022 19:23

Agree!!

Original poster

cakeorwine · 03/12/2022 19:27

thefemaleJoshLyman · 03/12/2022 19:22

I find Cambridge a particular nightmare for this, especially if you get the park and ride along the busway from St Ives, so I share your pain @cakeorwine

This is the one.

We got to Cambridge. A place I knew well. But trying to find the P&R back on the busway was a pain.

OP posts:

AtLeastThreeDrinks · 03/12/2022 19:46

I don’t get them, there’s one near us going into a city where you can always find parking. And the bus costs as much as parking would. Plus you have to ride a bus. What’s the point?!

LaQuern · 03/12/2022 19:49

I always ask the bus driver where the pick up point is

StaceySolomonSwash · 03/12/2022 19:57

I've always asked the driver too! Who wouldn't plan their return journey? 🙄

Original poster

cakeorwine · 03/12/2022 19:59

StaceySolomonSwash · 03/12/2022 19:57

I've always asked the driver too! Who wouldn't plan their return journey? 🙄

Busy bus,

Lots of people getting off. Oh - and the one in Cambridge is a long way from the return bus stop.

OP posts:

NormalNans · 03/12/2022 20:01

The one in Sheffield you practically have to drive into Sheffield to find a park and ride. Makes it a total waste of time as you’ve already sat in traffic for ages by the time you’ve got to the park and ride. (Especially as the car park for the one near Meadowhall is always full by about 7am)

StopFeckingFaffing · 03/12/2022 20:03

It would certainly put me off repeat use if it was hard to find the correct bus stop for the return journey

The only P&R I am familiar with is York's which is pretty easy to navigate even though there are multiple parking areas

ShinyMe · 03/12/2022 20:06

I was in Cambridge last week and used the park and ride - I thought it was really easy! All the buses were colour coded, and you got on where you got off.

I live just outside Sheffield and I had no idea there even was a park and ride though! I find Sheffield a very easy city to drive into, with good city centre parking that is never full, but maybe that's just because I know the city.

NormalNans · 03/12/2022 20:09

It’s mainly the tram rather than buses in Sheffield but badged as park & ride.

I just get the train as city centre parking is so expensive but the trams are hard to get to, always cold and unreliable.

ShinyMe · 03/12/2022 20:11

Oh I see! Yes, it is really pricy in town!

maddening · 03/12/2022 20:13

An app that integrates with Google maps would work

thefemaleJoshLyman · 03/12/2022 20:13

@cakeorwine I think the busway is the worst. However the Trumpington park and ride bus is easier to find.
We always end up going back to the bus station for the busway bus, which isn't as frequent or easy as the usual park and ride.
Cambridge is not my fave city to visit and trains are not great there either.

LeakyTapTap · 03/12/2022 20:15

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 03/12/2022 19:18

don’t they usually leave from where you got off ?

so you just go back to where you arrived

The one in Durham doesn't. I've never had a problem, I just ask the driver as I'm getting on.

ShakeYourFeathers · 03/12/2022 20:20

Yanbu in Truro the disembarking of bus is a street away from the getting on stop. The first time I used it was very confusing. And no you can't just get on where you got off because usually the bus goes to the other car park at the other end of the city.

Original poster

cakeorwine · 03/12/2022 20:24

LeakyTapTap · 03/12/2022 20:15

The one in Durham doesn't. I've never had a problem, I just ask the driver as I'm getting on.

Show quote history

In Durham, there were 3 potential stops all very near each other but on different streets. Obviously the one we wanted had the biggest queue. When we eventually found it.

OP posts:

carefulcalculator · 03/12/2022 20:32

AtLeastThreeDrinks · 03/12/2022 19:46

I don’t get them, there’s one near us going into a city where you can always find parking. And the bus costs as much as parking would. Plus you have to ride a bus. What’s the point?!

Air pollution, emissions, congestion are all lower if people use P&R. Many shorten journey times.

The pricing of some do need sorting though, our local one is 2 adults cost half the price of central parking.

5foot5 · 03/12/2022 21:02

We used the Cambridge one a few times earlier this year and had no trouble at all. Mind you we were probably coming in from a different direction to you as we were staying in Ely.

In general I am a fan of P+R and we tend to use them wherever possible when visiting another city.

Actually, our nearest city is Manchester and we now always use P+R for that. We used to drive in but over the last few years it has got harder and harder and much more expensive to park. Fair enough, they want to discourage cars in the city centre and I don't mind at all seeing as there is a good alternative. The metro is really good IMO. Very frequent service, reasonably priced and the stops are certainly easy to find!! The car park at the station we use is also free.

Flip