Q & As
How much does it cost? The return bus fare is £2.20 and children under 16 years travel for free.
An adult weekly ticket is £11 and a monthly ticket is £42.
Concessionary bus pass holders may travel for free after 0900 (0930 for those whose pass was issued outside of Essex) Monday to Friday and all day on Saturday.
Can I purchase my ticket on the bus?
All tickets (daily, weekly and monthly) should be purchased from the ticket machines or the ticket office located in the terminus building prior to boarding the bus. It is not possible to purchase your ticket on the bus.
Where are the drop off and pick up points for the Park and Ride?
Buses will stop at designated stops within Chelmsford town centre only and do not serve all stops along the route. The route will take you from the site, via the Baddow bypass dedicated bus lane, along Parkway, up Victoria Road South into Duke Street, before continuing along New London Road, back onto Parkway and back to the site.
Park and Ride bus stops are located at:
- Parkway, Mildmay Car Park
- Victoria Road South, Royal Sun Alliance
- Duke Street, Careers Office (for Railway Station)
- New London Road, Reed Agency
- Parkway
For those wishing to continue their journey by public transport the ‘Duke Street’ bus stop is within easy walking distance of Chelmsford railway station and bus station.
What facilities are there at the Sandon Park and Ride site?
- Parking for over 1,175 cars, including disabled and family parking bays
- Covered cycle parking facilities for 20 bikes
- Terminus facility with;
- Waiting area
- Toilets (including disabled and baby change facilities)
- Real-time passenger information
- Refreshment facilities
- Helpful and courteous staff
How frequent are the buses?
Buses run every 10 minutes between 0700 and 1900 Monday to Saturday (excluding Bank Holidays). A higher frequency operates Monday to Friday between 0730 and 0900 (every 6 minutes) and from 1530 until 1900 (every 7 or 8 minutes).
First bus from Park and Ride site 0700
Last bus back from Duke Street 1902
Can I still catch a bus back to the site and can I still gain access to my car after 1900?
If your departure from the town centre is after 1900, your Park and Ride ticket will be valid on First Essex bus services 31 and 36, which will stop at the Park and Ride site. These services run from Monday to Saturday as follows:
| Service | Duke Street |
New London Road |
Parkway |
31X |
1910 |
1911 |
1912 |
36 |
1926 |
1927 |
1928 |
31 |
1941 |
1942 |
1943 |
31 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
36 |
2041 |
2042 |
2043 |
31 |
2111 |
2112 |
2113 |
36 |
2141 |
2142 |
2143 |
31 |
2216 |
2217 |
2218 |
36 |
2246 |
2247 |
2248 |
31 |
2316 |
2317 |
2318 |
If you have a Park and Ride ticket you can catch the buses listed above at the Park and Ride bus stops in Duke Street, New London Road and Parkway only. Cars can still exit the site after 1900 either automatically through the barrier system or by intercom to the Chelmsford Borough CCTV control centre.
Can I park my car overnight?
Overnight parking is not permitted at the Park and Ride facility and 24 hour CCTV is in operation to monitor this.
Can the site be located using sat nav?
Sat Nav users can find the A12/A414 junction adjacent to the site by using postcode CM2 7RZ. This is NOT an exact match for the site - drivers must follow the P&R signs once they reach the junction to correctly access the site.
What is the aim of the Park and Ride scheme?
The scheme helps to ease congestion during peak travel periods and minimises the impact of traffic in the town, making Chelmsford more attractive to visitors, shoppers and residents.
Where can I find out more information?
The Essex Traffic Control Centre can help with enquiries and they can be contacted on
0845 6000 110 or etcc@essex.gov.uk.
What are the terms and conditions of travel?
1) The purchase of a weekly or monthly ticket does not guarantee that a parking space will be available.
2) Holders of concessionary passes issued by District/Borough Councils in Essex may travel free after 0900 Monday to Friday and all day on Saturday. Holders of concessionary passes issued outside of Essex can travel for free after 0930.
3) Buses will stop at designated stops within Chelmsford town centre only. The route will take you from the site via the Baddow bypass dedicated bus lane, along Parkway, up Victoria Road South into Duke Street, before continuing along the New London Road, back onto Parkway and back to the site. Park and Ride bus stops are located at:
a) Parkway, Mildmay Car park
b) Victoria Road South, Royal Sun Alliance
c) Duke Street, Careers Office
d) New London Road, Reed Agency
e) Parkway
4) The use of the Park and Ride facility requires vehicles to be parked in appropriate marked bays. The car park is for users of the Park and Ride bus service only. For further details on the car park conditions please consult site staff.
5) Overnight parking is not permitted at the Park and Ride facility and 24 hour CCTV is in operation to monitor this.