30th May 2024
The price of a joint ticket for parking and bus travel at Oxford’s park and rides has been frozen for another year.
The combined ticket, which offers parking for 16 hours plus return bus travel, will stay at £4 for a car with one adult or £5 for a car with two adults until April 2025. With both options, up to three children under 16 can travel for free.
Joint ticketing, which is now a permanent feature at the five park and ride sites, was introduced by Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach in 2022.
Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Oxford’s park and rides are the cheapest and most convenient way for drivers to get into the city centre, as well as other locations such as Oxford’s hospitals, Oxford Brookes University, Headington, Summertown and Wheatley.
“Joint ticketing has proved to be extremely popular and it is great news that the prices are staying the same for another year. More people on the buses means fewer cars on the road, less congestion and less pollution.”
Users will be able to take advantage of the rollout of 159 cleaner, state of the art electric buses serving the city, thanks to a multi-million-pound deal involving the county council, the bus companies and the government.
Passengers are also expected to see bus journey times reduced once a traffic filter trial on six roads in Oxford begins in November 2024.
Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director, said: “Oxford's park and rides are a key part of the city's transport network and essential to helping reduce congestion in the city. It is great that in Oxford, key stakeholders are continuing to work in partnership to make bus travel as attractive as possible to further reduce congestion and improve air quality.
“We have significantly invested in a new fleet of electric buses and look forward to the introduction of traffic filters, which collectively help towards the overall goal. Freezing park and ride tickets to encourage people to make more sustainable travel choices in the meantime is great news and will be welcomed by our passengers.”
Karen Coventry, Commercial and Marketing Director for Stagecoach West, said: “Anything we can do to encourage bus use over private car is of a huge benefit to us all, so we are delighted to see a freeze in the price of park and ride tickets for the coming year.
“Travelling by bus is by far one of the easiest behavioural switches we can make to improve air quality and protect our environment. With our EV buses due to join those already operating within the city centre this summer, it has never been a better time to forge new, greener habits.”
Councillor Louise Upton, Oxford City Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, said: “It is great news that the bargain-priced, combined parking and bus ticket offer has been extended at all of Oxford's park and ride car parks. It is a great example of working together to support cheaper travel in Oxford.
“The flexibility to stay up to 16 hours means that people working shifts or who are visiting the city until late in the evening can do so without worrying. Please do use the park and rides – hop on one of the new electric buses and take away the stress of trying to find a parking spot in the city centre.”
Oxford has five park and ride car parks around the edge of the city. Three are run by the city council and two by the county council:
- Oxford Parkway Park and Ride
- Pear Tree Park and Ride
- Redbridge Park and Ride
- Seacourt Park and Ride
- Thornhill Park and Ride
Drivers can buy a combined ticket through the RingGo parking app, or at one of the onsite ticket machines.
RingGo users can buy a combined virtual ticket through the app. Users are encouraged to download the RingGo app before arriving.
The joint ticket does not change the prices of parking only, annual, quarterly, or 28-day permit holders. Free parking remains for blue badge holders.
