Column by Thornbury and Yate MP Luke Hall.

I am delighted to confirm that our brand-new Yate Park and Ride on Badminton Road is now open!

This Park and Ride in Yate has been talked about for decades. When elected as the local MP in 2015, I gave a ‘cast-iron commitment’ that Yate would no longer be left behind for investment and that a Park and Ride would be delivered.

We began by surveying residents across Yate, gathering evidence about how often a Park and Ride would be used and what the main services would need to be.

The results demonstrated overwhelming support for a Yate Park and Ride. This allowed us to secure a commitment from the Conservative Council to back a Park and Ride in Yate.

We then worked with South Gloucestershire Council and the West of England Combined Authority to secure the £4.5 million needed to design and construct the Park and Ride and start getting Yate moving.

With the work complete, the Park and Ride is now open and ready for use. It’s going to offer over 190 free parking spaces for bus users, 38 electric vehicle charging points, secure cycling storage for 46 bikes and is just a short walk to Yate Railway Station. Residents will be able to catch a direct bus service every half-an-hour into Bristol City centre in one direction and then back into Yate and Sodbury the other way, with more services set to be decided in the coming weeks.

It’s been a long road, but thanks to the incredible support across the community, we have secured and delivered this new Park and Ride for Yate.

This new Yate Park and Ride will take cars off the road, reduce local emissions, make getting the bus easier and connect Yate’s transport network like never before.

This has always been an important part of our Positive Plan for South Gloucestershire, so thank you for your support in making it happen.