It’s time for another rant. Hurrah!
I can’t help it – I have to let off some steam and my OH is sick of hearing it already. It’s Norwich Park and Ride that’s annoying me this time and I just have to tell someone…
Before I start, I would like to point out that I am a frequent user of the service and all in all, I’m rather happy with it: it’s regular, cheap and fast because you don’t stop until you get to the city. Much better than parking in town.
Not only that, but if you’re like me and forget to get cash out, you used to be able to pay for ten trips at once with a debit card from one of the lovely information kiosks.
But not any more. I know that all organisations are having to make cutbacks – I watch the news – but they’re taking away the reasons why people use the Park and Ride.
Now they’ve closed the kiosks, you have to buy the ticket on the bus, which means you need cash, and preferably the right money. That’s all well and good – I’ve just had to make sure I have £18 for the ten trips, but the fare goes up next month. It will increase to £21, which means I have to have the right money, or I get £9 in change and an unimpressed bus driver. That’s great until the driver runs out of change…
And although the fares are increasing, the service is actually decreasing, so they will start at 7am and finish at 6.30pm – so if i’m working even slightly late or want to go to the gym, I can’t use the park and ride, meaning I’ll have to use a council-run car park, whose fees have also increased.
I don’t know if this is a ridiculous suggestion, but why don’t they just run every 15-17 minutes instead of cutting the early and late services? In fact, they’ve closed a couple of the bus stops at the weekends altogether.
As i say, I know cut backs are needed, but it seems like the council are taking away all the aspects that make using the park and ride appealing…
I’m going to get off my soap box now and make a cup of tea.
