Ryan's Bus Blog: Norwich Park and Ride service

Alexander Dennis Enviro400 632 (SN65 OAO)

Norwich Park and Ride first opened in the early 1990s at Norwich International Airport in Hellesdon, while the sixth site was opened in 2005 at Thickthorn. With the addition of the final site, Norwich Park and Ride service became the largest Park and Ride service in the United Kingdom, providing over 5000 permeant car park spaces. The scheme is very successful and over 3.3 million people use the Norwich Park and Ride service every year.

Thickthorn Park and Ride

This is one of newest sites which was opened in 2005. It is located near Thickthorn services in Hethersett. The site holds over 726 car parking spaces and is open Monday to Saturday between the hours of 6.30 to 20.00 hours and the last bus leaving the bus station in Norwich at 19.30, except from Thursday when it closes at 21.00 in order to accommodate for late shopping in Norwich City centre. On Saturday, the site is open between 06.50 and 19.00 hours, with the last bus leaving at 18.30.

Alexander Dennis Enviro400 629 (SN65 OAJ)

Harford Park and Ride

Harford Park and Ride service is located on Ipswich Road, Norwich which is accessed via an exit off the Harford Interchange where the A140 meets the A47. The site has 1088 car parking spaces, including electric vehicle charing points, cycle parking and recycle facilities. The site is open between the hours of 06.50 and 19.00 on Monday to Saturday with the last bus leaving Norwich Bus Station at 18.30. On Sunday a car boot sale is held due to no services in operation. In 2015 First Norwich began to operate a service 600 which travelled between the site and Norfolk County Hall on weekday, mornings and evening. This service was taken over by Konectbus when the new park and ride contract began in September 2015.

Alexander Dennis Enviro400 635 (SN65 OAU)

Airpot Park and Ride

Airport Park and Ride is one of the oldest sites that opened in the early 1990s. It is located on the Buck Courtney Crescent, next to the entrance to Norwich International Airport. weekdays it is open between the hours of 6.30 to 20.00 hours however on Thursday it closes later for late night shopping at 2100. On Saturday it opens from 06.50 to 19.00 hours and closes on Sunday. The site also has the facilities for recycling and electric vehicle charging.

Alexander Dennis Enviro400 623 (SN65 OAB)

Postwick Park and Ride

Postwick Park and Ride site is located next to the Yarmouth Road junction of the A47. It is open Monday to Saturday between the hours of 6.50 to 19.00 only and closed on a Sunday. It has over 552 car park spaces and has recycling facilities available. It is proposed to add 500 car park places to this site as part of the Postwick Hub development which is associated with the Norwich Northern Distributor Road development in which the completion date is 2017.

Alexander Dennis Enviro400 623 (SN65 OAB)

Costessey Park and Ride

Costessey Park and Ride is located next to the Royal Norfolk Showground in Costessey, Norwich, It has over 1,100 spaces and is open between Monday to Friday between the hours of 06.50 to 1900 and is closed all weekend. There are recycling facilities available. From September 2015, it became the only site which has no service to Norwich city centre at all. The service instead runs from the site to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and The University of East Anglia only.

Mercedes-Benz Citaro G 800 (BD57 WDA)

Sprowston Park and Ride

This site is located on Wroxham Road near bluebell lane. It is open between the hours of 06.50 to 19.00 hours Monday to Friday, Saturday it is open until 20.00 hours only and closed on Sunday. This site has an total of 792 car park spaces available. As with all the other sites it has recycling facilities available.

Alexander Dennis Enviro400 638 (SN65 OAX)

Between 2005 and 2010 the Norwich Park and Rides sites were managed by three different companies:

First Eastern Countries operated the Harford Park and Ride with blue livery Alexander ALX400 double deckers and Sprowston with purple Wright Eclipse Urban (that can be found on First Ipwich and Essex) single deckers.

Konectbus operated the Thickthorn Park and Ride with pink livery Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied double deckers and Costessey with green Optare Tempo single deckers.

Wright Eclipse Gemini 501 (YJ05 PXB)

Norse operated the Airport Park and Ride with yellow Irisbus AgoraLine single deckers and Postwick with red Irisbus Agora Line single deckers.

Irisbus AgoraLine 7134 (OY53 REU)

Interior of the Irisbus AgoraLine 7134 (OY53 REU)

From 2010 until September 2015, the Harford, Thickthorn and Costessey Park and Ride sites were operated by Konectbus and Sprowston, Airport and Postwick by Norse. Konectbus purchased a brand new fleet of Alexander Dennis Enviro400s double deckers painted in a blue livery to operate Harford Park and Ride contract. Pink livery Wright Eclipse Gemini double deckers operate the Thicktorn service, while ex London General articulated Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses run between the Costessey site, the University of East Anglia and the city centre.

Alexander Dennis Enviro400 600 (SN10 CFD)

Re branded blue livery to Konectbus livery operating the 501 , Alexander Dennis Enviro400 603 (SN10 CFG)

Norse operated a fleet of Dennis Trident Plaxton President bodied double deckers to operate all their services, with the Airport having a light blue livery and Postwick / Sprowston sites being merged, operating via city centre and Norfolk County Council.

Dennis Trident Plaxton 7168 (PN03 UME)

On 7th September 2015, Konectbus commenced a contract to operate all six park and ride services for a five year period. A fleet of 18 brand new Alexander Dennis Enviro400s have been purchased with fleet numbers between 622 to 639 and are painted in a new green livery.