News story

11th March 2005

Local MP Protests Against Car Park Charges at Yate Station

Local MP Steve Webb has been campaigning against the decision by Wessex Trains to impose car park charges at Yate Station.

The charges have now been introduced and the results have been precisely as expected - the diversion of parked cars away from the car park onto the industrial estate and neighbouring roads.

Steve Webb held an initial meeting with local South Glos. Councillor Sue Walker, Yate Town Councillor Chris Willmore and an officer from the public transport section at South Glos. to work out how best to tackle the issue. The Council have now written a strongly worded letter to Wessex and a meeting between the Council and the Managing Director of Wessex is due to take place shortly.

The MP has also been in touch with National Express, the parent company of Wessex, who are bidding for the Greater Western Franchise. He has made it clear to them that they are doing their own reputation no good by the way in which they are behaving.

Steve has also spoken directly to Alan Wilson, the Managing Director of Wessex, who said that he was having survey work done at the five stations where charges have been imposed to look at the impact on parking. This survey will be complete at the end of next week. Mr Wilson has promised to report back to Steve on the outcome of this, and will then consider Wessex's response. However, his approach was fairly unapologetic, saying that Wessex had consulted the Rail Passengers Committee a year ago (though not the local councils) and unfortunately he did not give strong grounds for optimism that a re-think was imminent.