Park & Ride to reopen at Sandon, Chelmsford and Colchester - Monday 6 July 2020

The Park & Ride service from Sandon, east of Chelmsford, and Colchester will reopen on Monday 6 July 2020; but not the Chelmer Vally site, north of Chelmsford.

Initially they will run to a reduced timetable between 7am-7pm Monday to Saturday, but passengers are advised to check the website or Social Media before traveling for any updates or changes, which could occur due to essential operational reasons.

The Chelmer Valley Site in Chelmsford, which had been used to house a temporary mortuary during COVID19, will not provide services at the current time. However, it will become operational at a later date when the necessary preparations have been made and it is safe to reopen the site.

Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Councillor Kevin Bentley said "We have worked hard to ensure that the temporary closure of our Park and Ride services due to COVID19 restrictions were kept to a minimum, and the Sandon and Colchester sites now look forward to welcoming passengers back. The services are valued, high quality and sustainable public transport that help to reduce congestion and contribute to a cleaner environment in line with our Green Infrastructure Strategy."

The services will be operating in line with current government Social Distancing requirements and therefore there may be a slightly longer wait to board a vehicle due to reduce capacity onboard. Passengers are advised to be patient and follow advice from service staff, however, a new queuing system will be introduced to make the process as efficient and safe as possible.

In addition, the P&R site will soon also benefit from another new service; the 'Park and Pedal' for those who want to cycle onwards from the P&R. This service will be available shortly, with a two month introductory offer of free parking (for Park & Pedal customers only); the normal cost of Park & Pedal is £3 per day for parking, or there is a £20 per month option which then also includes the use of a secure locker on site.

Further information on all of the P&R services can be found at https://www.essexhighways.org/getting-around/bus/park-and-ride.aspx