Calls for Overhaul to Boost Scarborough Park and Ride Usage

Senior officials are calling for better signage and extended operating hours to encourage more people to use Scarborough's Park and Ride service.

Scarborough's Park and Ride service must attract significantly more passengers to support the coastal economy and reduce town centre congestion.

Senior officials want to see the facility much better employed, warning that poor visibility and restrictive operating hours are holding the transport hub back from reaching its full potential.

Thousands of vehicles travel into the town along the A64, yet many drivers bypass the park and ride completely. Officials argue that improved signage and expanded facilities are desperately needed to intercept this traffic before it reaches the busy centre.

Investment is currently being directed into the area, including the establishment of a Mayoral Development Zone, which leaders hope will drive further economic growth. However, this influx of investment must be matched by a more effective transport strategy to handle the volume of visitors and commuters.

Capturing motorists at the outskirts of the town is seen as a key priority to ease the pressure on central parking and local roads. Transport teams are actively exploring how to expand the existing site and ensure it remains a viable option throughout the entire year, rather than just during peak tourist seasons.

David Skaith expressed his frustration over the lack of awareness surrounding the facility and confirmed that transport teams are looking at ways to improve access into the town:

"I'm always amazed Scarborough isn't better used. I think that the signage is terrible frankly. You don't even see it. People always talked about joining the A64, that's all well and good but all that traffic goes into the same area into the same straight past that park and ride but I don't think you would know that park and ride exists. I know with the transport team exploring how we can expand that park and ride, we want to improve the access to in and out of Scarborough all year around and obviously with the investment that's going in there and the MDZ so it to really drive that investment. The transport does need to improve, how we could get people not obviously all going all the way into Scarborough at that first point using the park and ride would be good to go."

Beyond visibility issues, the service's timetable is also creating significant hurdles for those working within the coastal community.

The current schedule sees buses stop running in the early evening, which fails to accommodate retail and hospitality staff who often work much later. Because double-decker and single-decker buses cannot navigate the pedestrianised foot streets in Scarborough, the park and ride remains a vital option. Yet, workers finishing their shifts at 7:00 PM are frequently left stranded, forced to walk or pay for a taxi to retrieve their vehicles.

There are growing concerns that these early closures are forcing people to rush their visits, ultimately harming local businesses that rely on a steady flow of evening trade.

Janet Jefferson highlighted the daily struggles faced by workers and visitors who find the current operating hours completely impractical:

"You'll find that with the foot streets in Scarborough, where you couldn't get a double decker bus or a single decker bus, and we have park and ride generally finishes about 5:30, which is really no good to anybody if you work in the town or work in the coastal community and you finish at 7:00 in the night, you've got to get a taxi or a walk, because there's no way if you you brought your own car. The park and ride, I think is amazing, but I don't know what time you actually because I think Scarborough needs a lot to need business a lot because people now have to rush."

A comprehensive review of how people travel into Scarborough is now viewed as essential to ensure the park and ride can properly serve both the local workforce and the broader coastal economy.