PARK & Stride is a new initiative to encourage users of the Park and Ride to park their car and walk into the city centre.

As part of Winchester City Council’s Feet First campaign, to promote walking in all its forms, Park & Stride week in Winchester will take place between September 26-30.

It is designed to encourage people to walk into town rather than hop on the bus. Guided walks set off at 8.15am from St Catherine’s Park and Ride car park before passing by Bar End so people interested in joining the walks are advised to arrive at 8am.

Those who are willing to make a pledge to participate in the Park & Stride week will be entered into a prize draw. People will have a chance to win a £50 Love to Shop voucher, a family off peak day return ticket (2 x adults, 2 x children or 1 x adult and 3 x children) on the South West Trains network or £100 worth of Mountain Warehouse vouchers (provided by the Council).

The initiative is intended to show people using the Park and Ride car parks that walking into town is a convenient and attractive choice and is a good way to start the working day. The Council is supporting Living Streets, the UK Charity for everyday walking, to help promote this scheme.

Simon Finch, the Council’s Assistant Director for the Environment, said: “The council is delighted to support this walking initiative which it’s hoped will demonstrate to people using these car parks that walking into work of a morning is a good way to begin their day and offers a real alternative to simply jumping on the bus.

"The Feet First campaign is not just about promoting walking as a leisure or recreational activity, it is also intended to promote walking as a means of getting from A to B or as part of a longer journey. Park & Stride is a great example of the latter and hopefully people will continue to walk to work long after the week has ended.”