Plans to develop a trial to allow limited overnight parking at some Metrolink park and rides will be put to councillors at a meeting next Friday.
There are now over 3,000 free parking spaces at Metrolink stops for customers to use during Metrolink service hours only. This means that passengers cannot currently park their vehicles overnight.
Members of the Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Committee will be asked to consider plans for an overnight parking trial on Friday and Saturday nights only, which could start in December.
Since 2012, parking at Metrolink park and rides outside of tram service hours has been prohibited and subject to a parking charge notice, payable in full to a management company with no revenue for TfGM. This discourages any misuse and keeps spaces free for commuters on busy weekdays.
The review of parking hours has been prompted by the recent rapid expansion of the Metrolink network to 92 stops, with increased demand for overnight parking from shift workers and people enjoying a late night out at destinations across Greater Manchester.
A report outlines current proposals for a trial at thirteen* Metrolink park and rides. Further park and rides could be included subject to TfGM securing agreement from leaseholders.
If agreed, TfGM will develop detailed plans for a three month trial, allowing Metrolink customers to park at trial park and ride sites overnight on Friday or Saturday night. Customers would not be allowed to leave their vehicles for the duration, but would be required to pick up their vehicles before noon the following day. All customers would need to remove their vehicles before the end of Metrolink services on Sunday.
Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the TfGM Committee, said: “Metrolink’s park and rides offer a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, save money and help cut traffic on our roads, and we want to make sure as many people as possible can use them.
“We listen closely to passengers and, wherever possible, take action. There’s clearly a discussion to be had about how Metrolink’s current parking policy could adapt to meet the demand for overnight weekend parking.”
TfGM’s Metrolink Director, Peter Cushing added: “Our current overnight parking policy was designed to discourage misuse of our car parks. We don’t make any money from parking charges, we just want to keep spaces available for Metrolink customers to use during the day – particularly for weekday commuters.
“Metrolink has tripled in size in recent years and opened up many more travel opportunities for both shift workers and people planning a late night out out at venues right across the region.
“People want to travel by tram and, if parking overnight at weekends can significantly benefit our customers, the environment and the local economy, it’s something we’ll seriously investigate.”
If a trial goes ahead, it would be publicised widely at the relevant park and ride stops, online and in local media.
An evaluation of any trial would consider demand for overnight parking and any operational issues.
Find out more about Metrolink Park and Rides across Greater Manchester at http://www.metrolink.co.uk/Pages/Park-and-Ride.aspx.
* Besses o’ th’ Barn, Brooklands, Bury, Crumpsall, Hollinwood, Ladywell, Oldham Mumps, Prestwich, Radcliffe, Rochdale Rail Station, Sale, Stretford, Whitefield.
