Free park and ride to reopen for Ironbridge Gorge

The bus link, which serves the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site, opens tomorrow and will operate on bank holidays, weekends and throughout the summer break, until October 26.

However, due to Jiggers Bank being closed for land stability work, the Park and Ride will be operating a diversion route via the Ironbridge bypass and Buildwas which will add an extra 15 minutes to its route.

During the closure of Jiggers Bank, the service will terminate at the Museum of the Gorge with connections to Coalbrookdale Museums to be made via the Gorge Connect service.

The Gorge Connect is also another way visitors can access the World Heritage Site. This service also operates a 'pay once, ride all day' offer.

Businesses

Councillor Hilda Rhodes, cabinet member for transport and community protection, said: "The park and ride facility is a free and easy-to-use service. It has proven extremely popular and is helping support Telford and Wrekin's tourism offer and support for businesses located in the Gorge.

"The park and ride was put to the test during the Olympic Torch relay last summer where thousands of visitors from far and wide came to catch a glimpse of the torch passing through the place where industry was born.

"It's a service that, as a council, we are very proud of and it will only enhance people's enjoyment of our world-famous tourist attractions.

"Currently visitors who choose to park in the Gorge have to pay, whereas the park and ride service is free.

"This will mean that people who use the park and ride will have extra pounds in their pockets to enjoy visiting the World Heritage Site."

The park and ride offers double the parking space available in the Ironbridge Gorge area with 250 parking spaces available.

The site is located a short distance from the M54 via the A5223, and anyone travelling there using a sat nav should use post code TF4 3QE.

For more information, visit www.telford. gov.uk/ironbridgeparkandride