Column by Thornbury and Yate MP, Luke Hall.

We are delivering a Yate Park and Ride. Diggers are on the ground and everything is on track ready for opening by the end of Summer 2021.

The new Park and Ride will reduce congestion, improve locally connections and importantly, improve our local air quality. Making sure our Park and Ride is environmentally sustainable is key to its success, so there are further steps we are taking to ensure the Park and Ride plays its part in helpings us deliver a greener future.

Firstly, we are providing thirty-eight brand new Electric Vehicle charging points within the Park and Ride, including 1 to serve the car club bay. To ensure that this Park and Ride is sustainable in the future, we are also providing “ducting” for each car parking bay. This means that all 192 car parking spaces will have the infrastructure to be provided with electric charging points in the future.

Secondly, the cycle shelter and all three bus stops will be provided with living green roofs. These green roofs are a layer of vegetation planted on top of the rooftop. The vegetation is self-sufficient, absorbs carbon dioxide and provides a natural habitat for smaller insects.

Finally, rain gardens are being provided between the parking rows, with native species of shrubs, grasses, wildflower and perennials to attract insects and birds and slow heavy rainfall. We are also re-planting all healthy trees back on to the Park and Ride site.

With innovative renewable energy schemes and the best recycling rates in our region; better than Bath, Bristol and beyond, this brand-new Park and Ride will ensure we continue to lead the way in tackling climate change and protecting and enhancing our beautiful countryside

In the meantime, I am still fighting for better transport links in our area. We have seen great success already; We’ve scrapped the Severn Bridge Tolls, agreed new electric car charging points in Thornbury, Yate and Frampton Cotterell, are doubling the frequency of some train services to Yate and we have re-instated the Southmead Hospital Bus link from Chipping Sodbury.

Delivering our Yate Park and Ride is a key part of our Positive Plan for Transport, but we must deliver our Plan in the most sustainable, environmentally friendly way possible.