Not a park-and-ride when it comes to costs

Throughout the country the phrase used is park-and-ride – that phrase suggests one single ticket purchased and used on the bus to include parking. However, for me, it is not really a park-and-ride when it comes to costs.

What I tried to convey in my letter were the true costs of my commute from Abingdon to Oxford, using Redbridge car park.

I have a ‘Bus Key’ from the University of Oxford travel scheme, discounted bus travel, taken from my salary – currently £24 a month. Some discounts are available for parking.

If I book for seven days parking, using the website, the cost is £10.20 – effectively ‘free’ weekend parking. However, I work during the week and I don’t park at weekends on a regular basis.

Adding that all up, February cost me £40.80 to park and £24 to ride.

Oxford City Council is responsible for parking at Redbridge and Pear Tree, and Oxfordshire County Council for Thornhill and Seacourt (I have never used Water Eaton so cannot comment).

Before the tariff changed, both councils had disclosed massive profits from their parking schemes in car parks and ‘local’ street parking permits (CPZ zones I believe they are called) and from parking violations.

COLIN BARTLETT Campion Road Abingdon-on-Thames