Work began on 6 February to build a 250 space park and ride site at Stoney Hill, which is located at the top of Jiggers Bank, to take people into the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge.

With an opening date set for early June, the new service will encourage more people to travel into and around Ironbridge in a sustainable way whilst also making it easier for people to get around, especially those who don’t know the area.

The Ironbridge park and ride will operate a regular service every 12 minutes throughout the summer period between June and October. In addition to this a further service will operate hourly to Much Wenlock, which is funded by Shropshire Council and is a joint effort at improving cross boundary tourist links.

This will make the links between Telford and Wrekin and Much Wenlock – the birthplace of the modern Olympics – much closer when the London 2012 Games are on this summer.

Once passengers get off the park and ride service, they will have the opportunity to walk around Ironbridge or alternatively get on to the Gorge Connect bus service and reach other locations around the World Heritage Site. Gorge Connect services will begin to operate from April 2012.

McPhillips are the local contractor undertaking the work for this project which is being part funded by the Department for Transport as part of the Councils Local Sustainable Transport Fund Programme.

The chosen location for the park and ride site at Stoney Hill provides excellent connections from the local road network, including the M54 which is within easy reach of the site.

Cllr Hilda Rhodes, Cabinet Member for Transport & Community Protection, said: “This is really good news for tourism and sustainable transport in the borough, especially Ironbridge Gorge and the surrounding area.

“The park and ride site is in an excellent location, close to the Gorge, but with very good road network links, and I’m pleased that work is now under way so that the park and ride will be up and running in time for what will be an extremely busy summer in the borough.”

Steve Miller, Chief Executive of Ironbridge Gorge Museums, said: “The new event Park & Ride facility will be a major addition to the infrastructure of the Gorge, creating 250 much needed new parking spaces.

“These will be especially useful during peak periods and major events, such as Bank Holiday Weekends, the Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival and the World Heritage Site Festival.”

The 250 space park and ride is set to open on 2 June 2012, with services every 12 minutes to the Museum of the Gorge where passengers can interchange onto the Gorge Connect service. An hourly service into Much Wenlock will also operate. The service will operate between June and October.