York certainly has a comprehensive Park and Ride scheme, but I do wonder whether they are perpetrating an abuse of the ENCTS bus pass scheme? These services appear to be normal town services until the last stopping point on the routes out of town, when they transform into the Park and Ride. This means that free passes can be used along the route but not to and from the Park and Ride itself, whereby a rate, albeit discounted, is charged. Presumably visitors accept this, as it is still clearly cheaper and less hassle than trying to park in York itself, and even if they know that the bus is free to York residents along the route, I doubt whether many would bother to walk out into the suburbs just to save the fare. York residents won't mind, of course, since out-of-towners are subsidising their bus rather than the other way around, but is this interpretation of the ENCTS rules valid and legal? Can a bus service be designated as Park and Ride, and thus exempt from the ENCTS scheme, only for passengers who board or alight at the facility but the same bus also considered a local service for the rest of the route? Has this ever been tested in law? Certainly other places such as Preston and Lancaster waive this and travel is free for all concessionary travellers after 09:30. Would love to hear what others think.
