Existing sites
There are currently five Park & Ride facilities in Cambridge: Babraham, Newmarket, Milton, Madingley and Trumpington. These facilities provide parking so people can leave their cars and ride by bus into the City centre.
The Cambridge Light Rail network would link to the same general locations as five of those sites. Some adjustments are suggested to the locations of the four sites at Newmarket, Milton, Madingley and Trumpington in order to optimise points of connection to the Light Rail network and the wider region, and to better locate these facilities close to major highways (M11 and A14 in particular) (see table below).
Proposals have already been published by the City Deal and others to relocate the Newmarket and Trumpington Park & Rides, while a new Park & Ride has been proposed for the Scotland Farm Roundabout on the A428. Cambridge Connect supports a Park & Ride at the Girton Interchange rather than Scotland Farm because it would have superior connections on the M11 / A14 / A428. This approach has a dual benefit of facilitating connections onto the M11 and A14 West from the A428, which would also alleviate current congestion down Madingley Rise (A1303) which occurs at morning peak hours by vehicles attempting to access the M11 South.
Suggested Cambridge Park & Ride facility relocations
| Name | Current location | Suggested location | Reason for move | Light Rail Stop |
| Newmarket | A1303 | A14 | Improve connection to A14. Avoid congestion along A1303. | ‘Wing’ |
| Milton | A10 | A10 / 14 | Move closer to Light rail stop. | Science Park |
| Madingley | Madingley Road | Girton Interchange M11/A14/A428 | Improve connection to towns in north and west. Superior strategic location to Madingley Mulch proposal by City Deal. | Northwest |
| Trumpington | Trumpington Road | Hauxton M11 | Improve connection to M11. Avoid congestion along Trumpington Road. | Hauxton |
New sites
Cambridge Connect suggests that consideration also be given to new Park & Ride facilities, locating these strategically so they can help facilitate travel to and from Cambridge by public transport from further out than is presently the case. Park & Ride facilities have traditionally been located close to City peripheries because this tends to engender greater patronage. However, this approach alone sends a clear message that people commuting from surrounding towns and villages are fully expected, indeed are encouraged, to drive by private vehicles to these points. The majority of these journeys will be made in single occupant vehicles, which are much less energy-efficient than public transport. This seems to run counter to the objectives of a more sustainable transport strategy for the region, and therefore the policy of locating Park & Rides solely around the periphery of Cambridge seems to warrant further careful consideration.
School transport services could also be connected to Park & Rides, reducing the current unnecessarily high number of ‘school run’ vehicles.
