Drivers face £3.50 fee in park and ride crackdown

The fee would apply every day, including bank holidays, and cover all users, electric vehicles, motorbikes, and blue badge holders

Drivers face having to pay at a park and ride site amid growing concerns drivers are exploiting it for free parking, rather than using it to access bus services.

The council said surveys showed the car park at the George Park and Ride in Tavistock Road, Plymouth, was operating near capacity during weekdays, with a five-day average occupancy of 96%.

However, this high usage was not matched by bus passenger numbers, suggesting many commuters were leaving their cars for extended periods without using the park and ride service.

To tackle this, the council plans to introduce a £3.50 daily charge for vehicles parked for five hours or more.

The fee would apply every day, including bank holidays, and cover all users, electric vehicles, motorbikes, and blue badge holders. Those with an accessibility permit will still be able to park for free.

Councillor John Stephens, cabinet member for transport, said: "We hope to discourage some of this long-stay commuter parking and make more spaces available for park and ride passengers travelling to the city centre, Home Park on match days or Derriford Hospital, for example."

Public comments will be open from 7 to 28 October, with implementation expected in early 2026.