Parking charges are set to be introduced at Stone railway station, the rail operator has confirmed.
A covered machine was spotted on Station Approach last week, raising questions over whether drivers would soon have to pay to park on the road leading up to the station.
London Northwestern Railway has now confirmed that it intends to introduce charges at Stone, although the start date, tariff and exact details of the scheme have not yet been announced.
An LNR spokesperson confirmed to A Little Bit of Stone
“We can confirm it is our intention to introduce parking charges at Stone.
Charging for parking will bring the site in line with other similar stations on our network.
Revenue from car parking charges is used to improve services and reduce the cost of running the railway to the taxpayer.
We are currently working through the details of the charging scheme, including its implementation date, which will be shared in due course.”
What could drivers pay?
The rail operator has not yet confirmed how much parking will cost at Stone.
However, published charges at similar stations on the West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway network give an indication of what drivers could be asked to pay.
At Albrighton, Shenstone and Hagley, the current published tariff is £3.50 for Monday to Friday parking when arriving before 10am, and £2.50 when arriving after 10am.
Saturday, Sunday and bank holiday parking is listed at £2.50, while a weekend ticket from Friday morning to Monday morning is listed at £4.90.
Weekly, monthly and annual passes are also listed, at £13.30 for one week, £38.20 for one month and £307.20 for 12 months.
Those prices have not been confirmed for Stone.
When would a pass be cheaper?
If Stone follows a similar tariff, regular commuters would be the most likely to benefit from a pass.
At the £3.50 daily rate, a weekly pass would become cheaper from the fourth day of parking in the same week. Four daily tickets would cost £14, compared with £13.30 for the weekly pass.
A monthly pass would become cheaper from the 11th day of parking in a month. Eleven daily tickets at £3.50 would cost £38.50, compared with £38.20 for the monthly pass.
An annual pass would become cheaper from the 88th day of parking in a year. Eighty eight daily tickets at £3.50 would cost £308, compared with £307.20 for the annual pass.
The calculation changes for people parking after 10am, at weekends or on bank holidays, where the comparison rate is £2.50. At that rate, a weekly pass would only become cheaper from six days, a monthly pass from 16 days and an annual pass from 123 days.
Concern over nearby streets
For regular users of Stone railway station, the introduction of charges would mark a change from the current informal parking arrangements on Station Approach.
It is also likely to raise concerns for residents in nearby streets. When Station Approach is full, cars already sometimes spill out into surrounding residential roads, and some residents may worry that charges could increase that pressure as drivers look for free alternatives.
