news story

27th January 2010

MP Calls on First Great Western to End 'Parking Misery' at Bristol Parkway

Local MP Steve Webb is calling on First Great Western to increase parking capacity at Bristol Parkway station. Local residents, including the MP himself, have reported that at certain times of day the car park can be completely full. Travellers are forced to choose between parking outside marked areas and getting a ticket, parking offsite and annoying local residents and businesses, or hanging around for a space and possibly missing their train.

Bristol Parkway sees around 2 million passengers pass through its doors every year, and provides a mixture of inter-city services between London and South Wales, cross- country services from the far South West to the North and local commuter services. The car park currently offers spaces for only 1100 cars and with vehicles sometimes parked at the station for days at a time as people work away, places can often be at a premium.

Commenting, Steve Webb MP said:

"It is very welcome that train usage has been rising in recent years, but parking capacity at Bristol Parkway has not increased in line. Growing numbers of passengers are finding that unless they arrive at the station first thing in the morning they can spend long periods driving around trying to find a space.

"By the time you have bought a ticket and paid for parking there is often not much time to spare before your train goes, and it is unacceptable that travellers can face further delays simply trying to track down a parking space.

"One option that has been talked about is putting an extra storey on the current two-storey area. Whatever they decide to do, what is now needed is action so that Bristol Parkway can actually live up to its name".

The MP has now written to the Managing Director of First Great Western to ask for urgent action on station parking and will raise the issue next time the two meet.