Old Park & Ride Routes in Canterbury

[Trainguy34]

I was just looking through the old licenses for Stagecoach South East, and saw loads of old P&R routes in and around Canterbury. I just wondered if there was a map of all of them.

I also saw that there was a route (P1) from Sturry Road - Winchester Park and Ride, however I can't find any reference to the Winchester P&R on Google.

There also looked to have been ones from New Dover Road - K&C Hospital and New Dover Road - Chaucer School, neither of which would've logically gone through Central Canterbury.

I just wondered if anyone could make sense of this?

 

[Leedsbusman]

I was just looking through the old licenses for Stagecoach South East, and saw loads of old P&R routes in and around Canterbury. I just wondered if there was a map of all of them.

I also saw that there was a route (P1) from Sturry Road - Winchester Park and Ride, however I can't find any reference to the Winchester P&R on Google.

There also looked to have been ones from New Dover Road - K&C Hospital and New Dover Road - Chaucer School, neither of which would've logically gone through Central Canterbury.

I just wondered if anyone could make sense of this?

Wincheap P&R rather than Winchester I suspect.

Canterbury Park and Ride - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Trainguy34]

Wincheap P&R rather than Winchester I suspect.

Canterbury Park and Ride - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Yeah, that makes more sense, thanks!

 

[Lynford1976]

I was just looking through the old licenses for Stagecoach South East, and saw loads of old P&R routes in and around Canterbury. I just wondered if there was a map of all of them.

I also saw that there was a route (P1) from Sturry Road - Winchester Park and Ride, however I can't find any reference to the Winchester P&R on Google.

There also looked to have been ones from New Dover Road - K&C Hospital and New Dover Road - Chaucer School, neither of which would've logically gone through Central Canterbury.

I just wondered if anyone could make sense of this?

The P1 between Sturry Road and the city was reintroduced earlier this year after a change of administration at the city council.

The New Dover Road to Kent & Canterbury Hospital service was numbered H1 (I think) and operated with a dedicated Optare Solo SR, 47874. It didn't last long, and the bus now operates with Stagecoach South.

 

[Man of Kent]

The P1 between Sturry Road and the city was reintroduced earlier this year after a change of administration at the city council.

The New Dover Road to Kent & Canterbury Hospital service was numbered H1 (I think) and operated with a dedicated Optare Solo SR, 47874. It didn't last long, and the bus now operates with Stagecoach South.

The hospital service had been previously worked by Kent Top Travel, but none have ever displayed a route number.

There also looked to have been ones from New Dover Road - K&C Hospital and New Dover Road - Chaucer School, neither of which would've logically gone through Central Canterbury.

Not aware of a service to the Chaucer, it may have been a special event to access extra parking (possibly to serve the Cricket Ground, which sometimes hosts concerts as well as cricket matches).

 

[duncombec]

Winchester is definitely an error for Wincheap. There appears to be a very poor follow-up in correcting such mistakes on subsequent amendments in the main registration details, even if the amendments are correct (or indeed, the original registration was and the error was at the Traffic Commissioner's end!)

P4 was a Saturday only service from the former Visitors Car Park at the University of Kent into the City Centre, usually operated with standard branded vehicles. After withdrawal (or perhaps withdrawal was because of) in 2009, the visitors car park was reduced in size and the current Woolf College was built on the site.

The details for the P7 registration, at least, do say it was for special event days only in 2008, whilst P6 appears something similar in 2007/8.

With noting for anyone less comfortable with the area, the "P" numbers are internal only, and have never been carried on vehicles. As such, it seems quite likely that Ps 5, 6 and 7 were numbered merely "cab rank".

 

[Trainguy34]

Ah, that makes more sense now, thanks.

 

[bussnapperwm]

I remember that Herne Bay or Whitstable also had park and ride services (as they are in the Canterbury Council area) in the past too

 

[duncombec]

I remember that Herne Bay or Whitstable also had park and ride services (as they are in the Canterbury Council area) in the past too

From memory, Whitstable had a summer Park & Ride one year (A 'net search suggests 2015) from a newspaper offices on the outskirts of town.

Canterbury City Council do talk about expanding Park & Ride, including Whitstable, but it always comes up against objections!

 

[Man of Kent]

From memory, Whitstable had a summer Park & Ride one year (A 'net search suggests 2015) from a newspaper offices on the outskirts of town.

Operated by Kent Top Travel, usually with minibuses. I think it was summer weekends and events only.

 

[Peter Philips]

Winchester is definitely an error for Wincheap. There appears to be a very poor follow-up in correcting such mistakes on subsequent amendments in the main registration details, even if the amendments are correct (or indeed, the original registration was and the error was at the Traffic Commissioner's end!)

P4 was a Saturday only service from the former Visitors Car Park at the University of Kent into the City Centre, usually operated with standard branded vehicles. After withdrawal (or perhaps withdrawal was because of) in 2009, the visitors car park was reduced in size and the current Woolf College was built on the site.

The details for the P7 registration, at least, do say it was for special event days only in 2008, whilst P6 appears something similar in 2007/8.

With noting for anyone less comfortable with the area, the "P" numbers are internal only, and have never been carried on vehicles. As such, it seems quite likely that Ps 5, 6 and 7 were numbered merely "cab rank".

The Saturday P4 had a PVR of three drawn from four Herne Bay double decks - two Scanias & two Olympians - have had side frames added for special P&R advertising boards to be slotted in. Certain drivers did display P4 on the Scania roller blinds, or CCC for Canterbury City Council (which paid for the contract) or wound them to a blank number display (the Olympians had electronic destination displays which showed just University Park and Ride with no number. The service was crewed through overtime & casual drivers with no permanent rota lines. Vehicles ran dead to & from Herne Bay.