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The Great Parking Debate

DiogoJ42 said:
This infuriating "everything is only usable to people who have a data-stealing app" needs to stop. Plenty of people either don't have or don't want a smart phone, why should they be excluded?
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If an app based system is what it takes to make public transport viable, surely it's better than nothing? As for privacy, now that GDPR is a thing you have control over your data right? Personally the benefits far outweigh the privacy concerns for me.
 
The old rail line won't reopen. The station building is now a b&b and the track is now a cycle path.

The old line runs too close to the existing line for there to be any point. The current heritage line that could be extended back to Alton station is hoped to one day connect to Stoke and the mainline, but there's already the Uttoxeter service from there. The old line has been cut off at Denstone by housing developments so unless Alton became the end of the line it would take considerable effort to reroute to either side of Uttoxeter. Alton station would still require a shuttle bus unless a second (third?) entrance was built.

Maybe if the heritage line took back Alton station it'd be a nice alternative but as a major route to Towers, never. Coordinated, practical buses Uttoxeter, as well as stations that are on the mainlines like, Stoke, Stafford, Derby, East Midlands Parkway are the simplest solution.

The problem is there would be a lot of empty buses outside of peak hours and times. The move to online ticket sales would help planning; give an option to say where you want picking up and when. Again Towers needs to become year round, because whoever is responsible for the services, what do they do with the extra fleet and staff when not needed?

Towers could subsidise travel or bump up the entrance fee to include 'free' travel. Not necessarily to the point of them making a loss but I'd imagine if it became a popular way to travel to the resort, car park space could be expanded onto and the initial loss considered an investment that frees up space for more lucrative use.

Perhaps if the bypass is ever built it could be restricted to buses and coaches, at least during the morning and evening rush.
 
Just spotted this in the Travel Plan that Towers submitted to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council for the Stargazing Sheds...

Section 1.2.1. Visitor/ Guest Profile
Paragraph 2 starts: "Public transport for visitors is not possible"

So there we have it, in black & white, from Towers planning consultants themselves. Strangely enough, the paragraph does not go on to mention that they will charge them to park at the "Resort" [a joke if ever I heard one] even though they have no alternative but to travel by car.
 
ringo said:
You don’t pay for parking if you stay onsite.
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Not yet! Disney now charge all onsite hotel guests for overnight parking, so it's only a matter of time before M£rlin follow suit. Think of all those hotel room, Enchanted Village & Stargazing Shed guests who could be milked for £6 per car per night.

I can almost hear the Excel spreadsheet macro doing the maths in Poole right now.

After all, Merlin are second only to Disney!
 
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Disney don't start charging UK or Ireland based hotel guests for overnight parking until 2020. Everyone else is now charged overnight parking. Go figure!
 
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