Safe, Sustainable Travel Torbay

“Pay for an hour, stay for the day.”

Torbay Council originally pitched this as something that would help everyone “enjoy all that Torquay, Paignton and Brixham town centres have to offer.”
I am really pleased to see that wording quietly updated, because the truth is simple: not everyone has access to a car, and not everyone wants to drive into the town centre. Our approach to inclusivity cannot start and end with a parking promotion.

Maybe we could think about subsidising buses if we want people to make different travel choices. A festive family saver would be a brilliant start at a time when budgets are stretched. Imagine: pay for a single ticket, get your return free. At little cost this could also bring more footfall, more time in town, and maybe even a well earned mulled wine at one of our many hospitality spots.

And if we are talking about encouraging visits beyond the car park, let us go a bit bolder…

Why not repurpose some of the already hired town centre security teams to run a genuinely secure cycle parking area? Big events across the UK manage this effortlessly, and it opens the door to a whole new group of people who would cycle in if they felt their bike was safe.

Less cars = less congestion = more efficient journeys for everyone!

Other places have already cracked this. York, for instance, deliberately prices its family bus tickets below the cost of two hours of car parking to make sustainable travel the obvious choice. Here in Torbay, there is no comparison at all: £14 for a family on the bus, versus as little as £1.80 for parking with a My Bay card.

Many residents cannot afford to run a car. Many others feel they have no choice but to own one because the alternatives are not good enough, and they end up spending a huge chunk of their income on transport alone. Targeted bus subsidies and better quality sustainable travel give people options.

If we genuinely want thriving and welcoming town centres, then the future will not be found in cheaper parking. It will be found in giving people more than one viable way to get there.

For a really fun way to enjoy the festive fun, join us for our Reindeer Ride on Saturday 6th December. Full details and sign up here Eventbrite sign up!