Park and Ride to roll on into May

City of Newcastle will extend the operation of Park and Ride for another month to allow more time to collate user feedback and to continue negotiations with possible future operators of the service.

More than 583 people responded to the City’s call for feedback on the service, with an overwhelming majority of respondents (95 per cent) satisfied or very satisfied with it.

A majority of respondents also supported paying more for Park and Ride, if this secured its future.

City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath said the continuation of the service in May would enable the City to complete commercial discussions with possible future operators after the Easter-Anzac public holiday disruption.

“The response to the surveys confirms the Park and Ride is a service of enormous value to commuters into the City,” Mr Bath said.

“This is demonstrated by the fact that most people surveyed have indicated that they’d be willing to pay more to ensure the service’s longevity.

“Extending Park and Ride until the end of May allows us to continue exploring future options for the service, without impacting on users. We expect to be in a position to make an announcement on the long-term future of Park and Ride by mid-May.”

During May, there will be no change to the current service – including the cost - with buses to operate weekdays from 7am to 9am from McDonald Jones Stadium and departing from the city to Broadmeadow between 3pm and 6.30pm.