Traffic congestion has become a major problem in many of England’s towns and cities. Historic locations, in particular, have road layouts that predate the internal combustion engine and are not suited to the volume of traffic from residents, delivery trucks and tourists. Parking space is at a premium and competing for land with offices, shops and housing use. An added consideration in recent years has been air quality. Many towns and cities have introduced Park & Ride schemes with out-of-town car parks served by frequent bus links to the centre. These are usually sponsored by the local authority and the vehicles used on the services will frequently have a dedicated livery to promote the service.Malcolm Batten takes a look at some of the Park & Ride buses that have worked in selected English towns and cities since the 1970s.
