Better Year-Round Utilisation of Whitby Park and Ride
Residents, businesses and the Town Council in Whitby are having their voices heard with the trial of the town's park and ride bus service over February half-term.
The Council have responded to local concerns around visitor numbers in Whitby by trialling the service to see if there is enough demand to warrant introducing more off-peak operating periods.
County Councillor Joe Plant, who represents Whitby Streonshalh, said: "It's very exciting to trial the service during the off-peak season for the first time. The park and ride is valued by day-trippers, visitors and locals wanting to avoid driving into the town centre, and we know it has huge benefits on reducing congestion over the summer months."
County Councillor David Chance, who represents Whitby Mayfield cum Mulgrave division, said: "The park and ride operates every day from mid-April to the end of October each year. However, we have listened to recent public feedback asking for the service to operate at busy off-peak periods, so we have launched this trial to assess the demand. We will then look at its usage and decide whether to progress plans for future trials."
From February 19 to 27, the Arriva service will run from 8.30am to 5pm every 30 minutes. Situated at the A171 / B1460 junction North of Whitby, the buses transport passengers to the town centre bus station.
Whitby Town Mayor Councillor Linda Wild, who welcomed the approach, said: "The Town Council has asked for better year-round utilisation of the park and ride for a long time and we are pleased that the County Council has heeded our call. We hope that visitors to Whitby will take this opportunity to prove the value of this service beyond what has previously been limited to a historic idea of high and low seasons.
"We all need to recognise the new reality to offer a proper visitor experience, where getting to Whitby, parking in Whitby and walking around in Whitby are all part of a pleasurable experience for visitors and residents."
Royal Fisheries is a family business which has been operating in Whitby by the Fusco family since 1968. Adrian Fusco highlights the benefits that running the park and ride over some off-peak periods could have.
He said: "The park and ride is a fantastic service which many of our customers rely on and are thankful for through the summer. Having the facility available this February half-term will provide our customers with a fantastic opportunity to visit the town, keep the overall cost of their day down and remove the stress of finding a car parking space in the town centre.
"Whitby's popularity appears to be rising, frequently making articles in national media for 'places to visit'. We have witnessed some strong trading days in January this year when the weather has been good, proving Whitby's ability to be a fantastic year-round tourist destination.
"A year-round parking facility not only supports local businesses like ours, but gives us the opportunity to promote how accessible and affordable a day in Whitby can be, providing our customers with further justification to visit Whitby at any time of the year."
Tickets will be £2.50 return and £5 family return. Find out more information.
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