Park and ride into Nottingham was never realistic either, even before they started charging £8. A frequency of 2TPH, not at regular intervals, would give people too great a risk of missing the train and if they wanted to park and ride they'd just stay on the A453 to Clifton Bridge or more recently the Clifton tram site.
It's not really "right by". The bus from Nottingham to Derby would have to travel 2.9km from the dual carriageway, round three roundabouts (each one twice) and a reversing loop to reach the station forecourt.
Possibly too, when Derby area was remodeled. Does it get much use when such as the Download Festival is on at Donington Park?
When the 810s come in they will be doubled up in the peaks. Someone here worked out that assuming a standard pattern that train diagrams going into London in the morning peak would naturally end up coming out of London in the afternoon peak.
Interesting. London-Nottingham is just over 90min so assume a round trip time of four hours including some layover each end. That means a train arriving in London at 0800 (roughly the start of the morning business peak) would them make two round trips during off-peak(ish) hours before arriving again at 1600 for the start of the evening business peak. It doesn't work so well for commuters because their day is longer, but most of them will be on the Corby service. However, unlike the indivisible HSTs, they do have the option of splitting them in the off-peak, so it may be a question of whether the extra (very low) fares pay for the extra mileage and crewing costs for a coupled unit. My hunch is that it won't - I don't think Megatrain ever used more than one Standard class coach of the HST, so even if they could fill it completely each round trip would only generate a part share in about 160 low fares.
Maybe it will be just as it is now. A 10 car arrives from one location, then another 10 car. One set goes to Cricklewood to stable between the peaks, the other set will split and serve two destinations.
That would be great, I'd be there for that - except I'll bet it (and the railway) will be closed when they blow them up. It'll all be within the cordon. They'll probably do it first thing Sunday morning when no trains are running anyhow.
£8 a day to park is absolutely scandalous for that location, as above you can get the tram park and ride for £5.40 all day , or slightly further in the bus park and ride for £6 a car load or £4 per person ( based on the £2 bus ticket price cap one ticket in, another out) or £5.30 all day bus ticket per person
It's become a useful railhead for people who live in places like East Leake and Gotham who have business in London. I expect the parking charge is targeted at people like them, mostly on expenses.
I think the assumption was the cycle would be some version of Nottingham London Sheffield London and repeat.
That was my understanding too.
Still an absolute scandal price wise, and one of the many things thats wrong with rail travel
Were they going to build lots of houses between Gotham and the A453.
Derby must be the same. It was £14.50 a day last year. £7.50 off peak. Yet it still seems full of cars.
Skylink Nottingham used to call there I think but was rerouted via M1/A52 due to chronic congestion on the A453... which was since alleviated when the road was "dualled" however the original route wasn't reverted to.
There have been many variations of Skylink between EMA and Nottingham since it started in about 2006, including use of either the A453 or the A6005. I don't think it ever routinely used the A52 but one benefit of avoiding intermediate stops was that it allowed "real time" diversion in the event of congestion. Likely less of a concern since the dualling, but IMHO still not enough of a reason to divert to the Parkway.
I stopped using Chesterfield station years ago because of the high parking charges. Perhaps £15 isn’t too high for a station car park at large city station but not at a town like Chesterfield. It‘s the same price at Newark Northgate. I suppose that’s what happens when a station is situated on a busy inter city route. If I’m going out for the day to somewhere to the north, as I have a drive of around 30 minutes to either Chesterfield or Newark I just stay in my car and drive the whole way. Sometimes, if the train fare isn’t considerably higher than from Chesterfield I do pay the £5 parking charge at Alfreton station.
Presumably a 'Business case' was developed, approved and turned into what we now have. No doubt much will have changed since.
East midlands parkway can only be accessed by car, and once there, there is nothing else there apart from the railway station, unless you wanted to walk to Redhill marina and visit the coffee shop - but if you wanted to do that then go a little further down the lane and you can park at the marina.
Summed up perfectly imho