Media centre

Wednesday 17 Mar 2004

PASSENGERS TO PARK FOR FREE AND SAVE UP TO £220 DURING THE IPSWICH TUNNEL CLOSURE

Region & Route:

| Eastern: Anglia

| Eastern

| Southern

Car parking charges at Stowmarket and Ipswich stations are to be scrapped during the Ipswich tunnel closure in an effort to encourage passengers to use the alternative bus and coach services. During the eight-week closure the £5.50 daily charge at Ipswich and £2.50 charge at Stowmarket will be dropped.  £220 could be saved at Ipswich and £100 at Stowmarket by using the alternative services.  There will be a fleet of 30 coaches and buses ready and waiting at station pick up points.  The departures will be carefully timed to fit in with train departures and arrivals from Manningtree station reducing any delay to passenger journeys. Mark Livock, Network Rail Project Director said: “Network Rail and its industry partners would like to reiterate to passengers that there is alternative coach and bus transportation and no need to drive to Manningtree.  Services will be more than adequate and we are confident that delays will be kept to a minimum.” In order to further encourage use of the services, a daily charge of £10 has been set for the temporary car park at Manningtree station.  The round-figured charge has been set to encourage commuters to use the free car parking facilities and coach and bus services from Stowmarket and Ipswich.  - more - Car park – 2 Manningtree season ticket holders and regular local customers at Manningtree’s existing car park have been offered priority tickets from First Great Eastern.  The existing car park at Manningtree is expected, as per usual, to be full everyday with its regular patrons.  The normal charge of £3.50 will remain in place during the Ipswich tunnel closure.