Visitors to Portsmouth can now hop on board Park & Ride’s new Southsea seafront summer service with the new PR3 route, which calls at key destinations including the city centre, Old Portsmouth, Clarence Pier and The D-Day Story.
Portsmouth City Council’s new service, which starts this Saturday, enables visitors to leave their car at the Park & Ride site and travel seamlessly by bus to enjoy all that Portsmouth, and Southsea seafront, has to offer.
Park & Ride customers can hop on and off the PR3 bus at dedicated stops along the route for shopping, sightseeing, leisure, attending events or visiting family and friends. Passengers who alight at dedicated stops along the route can simply show their Park & Ride ticket or smartcard to the bus driver to re-join the PR1 or PR3 services and travel to further destinations along the routes.
The new PR3 service provides an inexpensive and convenient way to reach visitor attractions such as Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum, Clarence Pier, Southsea beach, The D-Day Story and historical Old Portsmouth.
Visitors to Southsea heading to the shopping and dining areas of Palmerston Road and Marmion Road can easily hop off at the Avenue De Caen stop which is just a short walk away. Travellers to city centre shops can leave the bus at Commercial Road South, St Agatha’s Church or Isambard Brunel Road. Travellers destined for onward travel to the Isle of Wight can easily reach the Hovertravel terminal from Clarence Pier.
Cllr Lynne Stagg, Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation, said “We’ve listened to our customers and I’m delighted that we’re now able to offer the new PR3 Southsea service for the summer.
“It’s especially good news for people visiting the beach and attractions during the school holidays. Why not make the most of the fabulous weather, pack a picnic and head down to Southsea seafront for an inexpensive and fun day out with the family”
With a range of tariffs and ticket types to suit everyone’s needs, from a one day ticket, multi-trip Flexi pass or smartcard for regular customers, Park & Ride represents excellent value for money, with fares for just £4 per day for a driver and up to four passengers.
Fare-paying passengers within the city will also be able to board the PR3. Up to five people joining the service at any of the dedicated PR3 stops can jump on board for just £4 per day for a daily single or group ticket.
Park & Ride is a quick and convenient way for individuals, friends and families to easily reach their destination and avoid any traffic congestion and parking challenges faced by driving into busy cities like Portsmouth. With the new continuous service to Southsea, customers who choose Park & Ride will help to develop cleaner air and help to improve the health benefits for people who live, work, visit and study here.
Bus passengers can rest assure that Portsmouth City Council continues to work closely with bus operator, First Solent, to ensure that health and safety measures are in place, from enhanced cleaning in waiting areas and on buses to making hand sanitisers readily accessible to passengers on board and while waiting in the terminal. Passengers will be still be required to wear a face covering whilst on the bus unless they are exempt.
Existing smartcard customers whose cards expired during the recent closure can contact the council to have their smartcard extended by another year. Customers who would like to claim a refund for unused smartcard journeys can do so by emailing parkandride@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.
The Park & Ride PR3 service operates between Saturday 24 July and Saturday 4 September.
To find out more about Park & Ride, including timetables, maps and tariffs, visit parkandride.portsmouth.gov.uk.
