Hazel Grove Park and Ride

[TheManOnThe172]

Can anyone tell me about the level of usage of the Park and Ride site at Hazel Grove in Greater Manchester? Ideally, a source of published data, but even anecdotal observations would be valuable.

The site is promoted as suitable for trips to Stepping Hill Hospital (which makes sense) but also to Stockport (marginal?) and central Manchester (surely unrealistic: 62 mins by bus vs 26 mins by train).

I have only observed it early in the day at weekends, when it has been very lightly used. Is it better used at other times?

 

[Bletchleyite]

While I don't know numbers, the high frequency and it being only two quid must push some in favour of the bus, even into Manchester.

 

[peterblue]

Can anyone tell me about the level of usage of the Park and Ride site at Hazel Grove in Greater Manchester? Ideally, a source of published data, but even anecdotal observations would be valuable.

The site is promoted as suitable for trips to Stepping Hill Hospital (which makes sense) but also to Stockport (marginal?) and central Manchester (surely unrealistic: 62 mins by bus vs 26 mins by train).

I have only observed it early in the day at weekends, when it has been very lightly used. Is it better used at other times?

I wouldn't say it's amazingly well used but it does get some use, and the p&r is close enough to hazel grove itself where it's justifiable to serve it.

People do in my experience make longer journeys on the 192. Though the Manchester-Stockport part of the route is a lot busier.

 

[mangad]

We know the usage is not enough to keep it open long term, and has been described as “underutilised and not commercially viable”. The plan is to build an ambulance station there to replace the Stockport ambulance station (which will become a new bus garage.)

Short-lived Hazel Grove park-and-ride to become ambulance hub - Place North West

Stockport Council has drawn up proposals to redevelop the 3.4-acre car park off Buxton Road less than a decade after the Stagecoach facility opened.

www.placenorthwest.co.uk

 

[Jamesrob637]

Does that mean there'll be a smaller car park? The 192 is very slow all the way from Manchester to Hazel Grove. Okay in school holidays.

 

[mangad]

Does that mean there'll be a smaller car park? The 192 is very slow all the way from Manchester to Hazel Grove. Okay in school holidays.

According to the Planning Application (https://planning.stockport.gov.uk/ - ref DC/088269) the end game would be that there would be no car park - it would all be completely taken over by the Ambulance Service. Now it's a phased plan, the first phase of which would be to build on part of the car park furthest away from the bus stands. Then there would be more development after that. It's not particularly clear (unless I missed something) if that means the car park would completely close once phase 1 starts, or whether part of it would remain for a bit. It is possible I missed something as I didn't read all 80 or so documents on the planning application!

In a way, it's a real shame because it the Park and Ride could have been so much more - but it always seems to be under-utilised. They also tried to use it for shuttle buses for Lyme Park but alas that never seemed to take off, which was sad given how much congestion Lyme Park has on a nice day.

 

[DiscoSteve]

Its basically in the wrong place - a way should have been found to place it much closer to the Railway Station - it does not surprise me its going to be closed and replaced by a new Ambulance Station, its always looked empty whenever I drove past - not quite sure how the new Amulance Staion is going to help serve areas of Stockport north of the river though as its going to be a loooong way from the Heatons as compared to current aged location...

 

[Llandudno]

Total white elephant!

I suspect most (of the few) parked cars there are not actually using it to catch the bus!

Even the 192X - kind of express Park & Ride peak hour services were withdrawn a few years back!

 

[AlastairFraser]

Its basically in the wrong place - a way should have been found to place it much closer to the Railway Station - it does not surprise me its going to be closed and replaced by a new Ambulance Station, its always looked empty whenever I drove past - not quite sure how the new Amulance Staion is going to help serve areas of Stockport north of the river though as its going to be a loooong way from the Heatons as compared to current aged location...

Maybe they could stick a multistorey on part of the station car park? It is an arse getting out of there for double deckers, but it would be great as a multi-modal interchange, especially if Sheffield services continue.
To mitigate the issues with double deckers, you could have it served as a stop on a one way loop returning westbound, but then you'd probably have to replace the crossroads at the Rising Sun with a signalised roundabout. Not sure how that would go down.

 

[Tim33160]

Total white elephant!

I suspect most (of the few) parked cars there are not actually using it to catch the bus!

Even the 192X - kind of express Park & Ride peak hour services were withdrawn a few years back!

X92 still runs at M-F morning peak: three inbound trips
https://assets.ctfassets.net/nv7y93...0d900f94ea4b736a737403/192_X92_24-SC-0375.pdf

Hazel Grove — Stockport — Manchester Express X92 Mondays to Fridays
Hazel Grove, Park and Ride 0632 0702 0725
Stockport, Wellington Road North arr 0649 0719 0747
Stockport, Wellington Road North dep 0652 0722 0750
Manchester, Piccadilly Gardens 0715 0745 0816
Bus X92 does not run from Manchester
Bus X92 does not run on Saturdays, Sundays or public holiday

The evening returns from Piccadilly were cancelled as too many people didn't read the front route number / destination and wanted to get off before first drop off at Mersey Square (some forcibly arguing with driver)

Stopping places Bus X92
Hazel Grove, Stagecoach Park and Ride then all stops to:
Stockport, Wellington Road North/Mersey Square then non-stop to:
Manchester, London Road/Travis Street
Manchester, Whitworth Street
Manchester, Aytoun Street
Manchester, Piccadilly Gardens

 

[daodao]

especially if Sheffield services continue.

The calls by Northern Hope Valley line services at Sheffield are only temporary while these trains are diverted via Hazel Grove due to the landslip preventing them running via New Mills Central.

The demand for "park and ride" facilities at Hazel Grove is related to the lower [subsidised] prices for local rail journeys within Greater Manchester. This wasteful use of funds, ultimately originating from the taxpayer, encourages out-boundary commuters to "park and ride" from tram/rail stops within Greater Manchester.

 

[Djb1]

I’d always assumed that the park and ride would stay as an aspirational terminus / park and ride for the theoretical hazel grove metro extension.

 

[IanMac]

I've used the Hazel Grove P&R occasionally when visiting Manchester. As well as guaranteed free all-day parking, it has the advantage of toilets for people who have driven a distance.

I also used the evening X92 once back from Manchester. Before departure an inspector announced loudly and clearly on both decks that it would not set down before Stockport, but people boarding at other stops on the way out of the city might not have understood that.

 

[AlastairFraser]

The calls by Northern Hope Valley line services at Sheffield are only temporary while these trains are diverted via Hazel Grove due to the landslip preventing them running via New Mills Central.

The demand for "park and ride" facilities at Hazel Grove is related to the lower [subsidised] prices for local rail journeys within Greater Manchester. This wasteful use of funds, ultimately originating from the taxpayer, encourages out-boundary commuters to "park and ride" from tram/rail stops within Greater Manchester.

1) Remains to be seen whether they are temporary - it could well be the additional service in the Hope Valley Capacity Scheme's 3rd path.

2) It's not just because it's at the GM boundary. It's because it's at the end of a convenient high speed dual carriageway ring road (the A555) and a lot of the GM-Cheshire fringe suburban estates do not have their own robust public transport links.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I've used the Hazel Grove P&R occasionally when visiting Manchester. As well as guaranteed free all-day parking, it has the advantage of toilets for people who have driven a distance.

If you're talking about the toilets located alongside platform 1 at Hazel Grove station, they weren't open on Monday 8th July 2024, nor were they open today, either.

 

[Trainman40083]

If you're talking about the toilets located alongside platform 1 at Hazel Grove station, they weren't open on Monday 8th July 2024, nor were they open today, either.

I think, well thought there were some at the Park and Ride site.

 

[Cowley]

Thread reopened for @IanMac to update