Exeter - parking help pls.

karena

Going to visit Exeter University next week (open day). There is a park and ride service available but I think I would pefer not to use this (Westpoint arena) and park in Exeter itself for the day. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

McAzrael

It is many years now since I studied at Exeter, but if things are still the same then the long stay car park in town is Cathederal & Quay which is not ever so handy for the cathederal and not at all handy for the university. There is loads of parking on the campus, so long as you have an appointment. If not, then it's on street parking around the campus.

It used to be bus H from the city centre out to the university. Be careful it goes to Heavitree the other way.

This, of course, may all have changed over the past few years. Please don't shout at me if you get there and it's all residents only.

Madmel

It has changed a little since McAzrael's time.

Round the uni is all pay & display parking, both on & off the campus. The campus is about half a mile out of the city centre (maybe more) uphill, so leave plenty of time if you intend to walk.

The H bus still goes nearby (to St David's station) but it's still a good 10 minute walk from there. A new possibility is the D bus which goes from the eastern edge of the city up to the main campus. I need to check this out, but you can park there and I think it's next to the park & ride for the hospital.

Something to be aware of is that for the next 5 weeks or so, one of the main routes into Exeter is closed towards the city centre. Traffic has been a nightmare whilst people avoid it. It's worth leaving loads of extra time if you are driving.

I'll go and check some bus routes and post again. Feel free to PM me if you want.

Madmel

Me again!

Try this link http://www.travelinesw.com/nbindex.htm and put in service D and Exeter. The bus does go from Digby which is about 5 minutes from junction 30 of the M5, every half hour.

Given the nightmare that is Exeter traffic and the extortionate price that public transport costs around here, I might well be tempted to use the Westpoint service. It will be laid on specially for the Open Day as there isn't normally anything going from there, and there is parking for thousands of cars. When the Open Day is over, you won't have to negotiate the city by car as Westpoint is close to the M5/A30 so you can easily get away.

Voyager2002

Agreed: bus D is the only one that actually goes to the university campus. Parking on campus is controlled, so unless they have given you information about parking for parents' day then don't attempt to park there.

And traffic really is bad as a result of the roadworks.

pjran

karena wrote: »

Going to visit Exeter University next week (open day). There is a park and ride service available but I think I would pefer not to use this (Westpoint arena) and park in Exeter itself for the day. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

I was in a similar situation just after Easter.

I rang Exeter city council spoke to a very helpful lady in their parking department, she gave me road names where I could park free of charge and was only 10 mins walk to the uni and 10 mins to the shops etc. The area was fine, one side of the road was resident only parking but the other was free.

Hope this helps.

Pj

scottishlass

karena wrote: »

Going to visit Exeter University next week (open day). There is a park and ride service available but I think I would pefer not to use this (Westpoint arena) and park in Exeter itself for the day. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Shame you dont want to use the Park and Ride as the only draw back is when it gets to about 4pm and everyone is trying to get the bus back otherwise it has served quite well in previous years. Most of the residential streets around there have a few spaces that are free but will involve a bit of walking and are completely luck of the draw as quite a few residents will park in the free spaces even if they have a pass as its sometimes nearer to their house etc.

Have fun at Exeter and definitely wear sensible shoes too may people on previous open days have complained about not being warned about the hills.

Nikko5

karena wrote: »

Going to visit Exeter University next week (open day). There is a park and ride service available but I think I would pefer not to use this (Westpoint arena) and park in Exeter itself for the day. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Westpoint is bl00dy miles from Exeter Uni, pretty much on completely the other side of the City! There is pay and display parking in Prince of Wales Road (the road which runs right past the Uni / Northcott Theatre) 'tho it is normally full during the day so you'd probably need to get there quite early. Another option would be to park at Exeter St. David's railway station which has a good number of parking spaces (including an overflow carpark when the main one gets chocka) and walk up to the Uni (not far, but uphill the whole way there - take the footpath signposted to Exeter Central station then cut up through the grounds of the Imperial pub - Wetherspoons - could also be handy for breaking up the "long" walk, ha ha! :rolleyes:)

There are also odd non-residents spaces dotted around various streets in the St. James' area (kind of around St. James' Park Halt railway station) but unless you know the area well, you're probably better off heading for a more prominent landmark like the Uni itself or St. David's, both are fairly well signposted from around the City. HTH!

NB - the road which is currently shut in Exeter for waterboard roadworks is Fore Street in Heavitree (and out from there to Middlemoor roundabout) - inbound is the only direction which is closed. So it shouldn't really affect you travelling to the University (main Streatham campus anyway), which is located to the West side of the City.

McAzrael

Nikko5 wrote: »

NB - the road which is currently shut in Exeter for waterboard roadworks is Fore Street in Heavitree (and out from there to Middlemoor roundabout) - inbound is the only direction which is closed. So it shouldn't really affect you travelling to the University (main Streatham campus anyway), which is located to the West side of the City.

Oh good God. That must be chaos.

Oh and OP, sorry about the duff information. It has been quite a while.

karena

Thanks to you all - just bought a tom tom so might well give the park and ride a miss and drive to the station! They have shuttle buses from there to the uni as well. I think we should be getting there at around 10 so hopefully traffic wont be too horrendous?

iwannabeonthebeach

howell road car park is cheap if you want to park all day. it will then be about a 15 minute walk to the campus and a 5 minute walk from the town.