Benefits of Park&Ride

Park&Ride in Oxford is an integrated transport system enabling users of private vehicles to park in a safe location outside the city and travel directly into the centre via a high-frequency bus service.  

Although its key objectives are to reduce urban congestion and vehicle-related pollution, there are also other benefits that make Park&Ride a fantastic choice for travel into the city centre: 

• Generally cheaper than city parking
• Generally quicker than driving 
• Reduces stress 
• Positive impact on the economy 

In this article, we will explore these key objectives and benefits in greater detail so you can use Oxford Park&Ride with confidence! 

For a more comprehensive overview of Park&Ride generally, see ‘What is Park&Ride?’

Reduce congestion and vehicle-related pollution

By encouraging more people to use the bus, many of which have hybrid engines (e.g., Euro 6), urban congestion and vehicle-related pollution are significantly reduced.  

Using Oxford’s Park&Ride services reduces congestion by decreasing the number of private vehicles on the roads in urban areas. This is achieved by:

• Locating Park&Ride car parks outside the city in well-connected areas.
• Using high-capacity buses. 

In turn, this contributes to a reduction in vehicle-related pollution in urban areas. As many buses utilise hybrid engine technology, the benefits of taking the bus over private transport are further emphasised. For example, catching the 300 bus from Pear Tree Park&Ride to the Westgate Shopping Centre in Oxford would save 911g of CO2 compared to driving, the same as keeping a light bulb on for 256 hours!  

Generally cheaper than city parking  

Compared to driving and parking in the city, Park&Ride is generally a cheaper option. For example, we currently offer a combined parking and bus ticket so you will pay no more than £5 for 16 hours of parking as well as return bus travel for two adults. This also includes free travel for up to three children. 

Generally quicker than driving

Park&Ride is a faster way to get into the city centre. This is because: 

• Well-connected and highly accessible car parks eliminate the time-consuming process of finding parking spaces in the crowded inner city.  
• High-frequency buses ensure minimal waiting time for transport into the city centre. 
• Buses can use priority measures such as bus lanes and bus gates, often providing more direct routes into the inner city (e.g., Oxford High Street between Queens Lane and Catte Street).    

Reduces stress 

Using Park&Ride in Oxford can help reduce stress by allowing customers to spend time unwinding rather than driving in congested traffic and searching for a parking space in the city centre. In fact, recent research conducted by Transport Focus and Highways England suggests ‘less stressful’ is the second most cited benefit of Park&Ride by service users, beaten only by ‘ease of travel’.     

This benefit is also important for those who use Park&Ride for their daily commute. By enabling faster, more direct journeys into certain areas, Park&Ride in Oxford reduces time costs for commuters so they can spend less time travelling and more time being productive. Many commuters use their bus journey to get ahead on work, reducing their workload during the working day and further alleviating work-related stress.

Positive impact on the economy 

Park&Ride systems have a positive impact on the economy. By providing a convenient and affordable way to get to the city centre and other points of interest, more people have access to businesses and services in these areas. In turn, this stimulates growth in the business and tourism sectors.