£33m park and ride scheme at Cheltenham opens for business

A major £33m transport scheme in Gloucestershire has reached completion.

Gloucestershire County Council has announced the conclusion of Phase 2 of the new Arle Court Transport Hub, with the construction of the new multi-storey car park and bus terminal.

Arle Court Transport Hub will improve transport for residents and visitors within, to and from the west Cheltenham area, as well as those arriving from the M5 via long-distance coach travel.

The scheme provides park and ride facilities that are both convenient and comfortable.

The scheme has also been designed to offer improved sustainable travel choices and better connectivity to local active travel, which in turn will reduce congestion, lower CO2 emissions and improve air quality in the region.

The state-of-the-art facility is a key milestone in the county council’s ongoing efforts to deliver sustainable transport options in the county.

It is due to begin operation this week and includes several significant features:

• Expanded bus terminal: The new terminal supports reliable bus services linking Gloucester and Cheltenham hospitals and centres, making public transport a more convenient option for those using the enhanced park and ride facility. The site will be served by a number of electric buses, obtained through the recent successful ZEBRA bid. This will mean that over 20% of the total Gloucestershire bus fleet will be electric, providing sustainable and efficient transport for those using the transport hub and reducing the impact on the local environment.
• New and improved passenger facilities: The transport hub includes an indoor waiting area and a covered outdoor waiting area; real-time passenger information screens; a customer information desk; and toilets, including a dedicated Changing Places toilet. Vending machines for cold drinks and snacks will also be available, with a new cafe due to be in operational in 2025.
• Additional parking: The entire transport hub will provide almost 1,000 parking spaces on-site, compared with 576 previously. This includes 860 spaces in the new four-storey car park and facilitates a seamless transition between private vehicles and public transport.
• Electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints: The transport hub is home to the largest contactless payment EV charging public transport hub in the UK. The multi-storey car park features 100 x 7kW EV commissioned charge points for long stay-term charging, catering to commuters and visitors. The car park is also future proofed to enable the expansion of up to 266 x 7kW EV charge points as demand increases. The site also has roof mounted solar PV panels to generate renewable electricity for the building and EV charging.
• New and improved active travel facilities: The transport hub provides accessible secure cycle lockers, cycle hoops, cycle maintenance tools and shower changing facilities, as well as active travel links to local cycling and walking routes.

Work began on the construction of the new Arle Court Transport Hub in May 2023, at the existing Arle Court Park and Ride site.

It will be the first of several county council transport hubs within the county, providing centres where people can park their car or bike or be dropped off by family, taxi or The Robin and then continue their journey by express bus.

Kier was awarded the construction contract for the scheme following a competitive procurement process. A further contractor, Knights Brown, has been appointed to complete the third and final phase of the scheme, which will begin in late July 2024 and is due to be completed by November 2024. This phase will add more surface car parking spaces to the existing west car park, dedicated coach and camper/van parking, and further enhance the transport hub’s sustainability features including the installation of four rapid EV chargepoints.

The £33m scheme is a key element of the current Gloucestershire Local Transport Plan 2020-2041 and its Climate Change Strategy ULEV Strategy. It has been funded by the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), administered by Homes England, and Gloucestershire County Council. In addition, Gloucestershire County Council and HIF have funded the installation of the 100 x 7kW EV chargepoints and will fund the rapid EV chargepoints, utilising the council’s awarded contractor Connected Kerb. The council has met their target of installing 100 EV chargepoints in July 2024, with public chargepoints across Gloucestershire now totalling 228.

David Gray, cabinet member for environment and planning, said: “The completion of Phase 2 of Arle Court Transport Hub is a significant milestone in our mission to provide the necessary infrastructure to facilitate sustainable travel in Gloucestershire. The new facilities will not only make public transport and sustainable travel options more accessible, but also play a crucial role in reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality in Cheltenham and Gloucester. I would like to extend my thanks to Kier and their various sub-contractors on the scheme for delivering the construction phase considerately and to schedule.”

Andy Bolas, Regional Director at Kier Construction Western & Wales, said: “We are thrilled to be handing over this phase of works on the new Arle Court Transport Hub to Gloucestershire County Council. This state-of-the-art hub will provide a welcome boost to sustainable transport links in Cheltenham, and we look forward to seeing it being used for years to come.”