A new free daily park and walk service is being introduced in Bewdley next week to help boost trade and encourage summer visitors to the town.

Wyre Forest District Council is hiring up to 78 free parking spaces at Bewdley High School and Sixth Form Centre to cope with additional traffic visiting the town throughout the summer holidays.

The new park and walk service at the school in Stourport Road will be available from 8am until 8pm seven days a week from Monday 24 July to Thursday 31 August.

And the council has teamed up with Wyre Forest Dial-A-Ride charity to offer an enhanced FREE park and ride service  – initially over the summer period only – while work takes place to extend Load Street car park by creating a new lower level.

Dial –A-Ride will operate a 16 seat minibus shuttle service each Saturday from 10am to 4pm between Bewdley High School and the standard bus stops on Load Street on the following Saturdays:  29 July, and 5, 12, 19 and 26 August. 

The council will shortly be seeking tenders for constructing the new 55 space lower level car park in Load Street – on the site of the now demolished former medical centre and library – and the work will not be completed until after the busy summer period.

Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration Councillor  Ian Hardiman said “We are determined to seek the best value solution for local taxpayers and the council, and to move to construction as quickly as possible. I would like to thank businesses and local residents for their understanding as we move towards completing this important project for Bewdley.”

Cabinet Member for Operational Services Cllr Rebecca Vale added: “I am pleased we have been able to make temporary arrangements for a “park and walk” facility at Bewdley High School and Sixth Form Centre to enhance parking capacity in Bewdley during the summer.

“This additional car parking will be available from July 24 to August 31. The school is a 15 minute walk from the town centre, and we will be supplementing this with a free shuttle service on Saturdays.  We will review arrangements for the autumn period once we have confirmation of the schedule of works from the appointed contractor.”