Edinburgh council: Combined travel and event tickets for football, rugby and concerts could ease stadium parking problems

Talks took place last year between the council and AEG, the company behind the new Edinburgh Park arena, over the possibility of combined event and travel tickets to encourage the use of buses and trams. And councillors on the transport and environment committee suggested at the time that the idea should be extended to football and rugby matches.

And the SNP group’s new transport spokesman Neil Gardiner raised the issue as the committee discussed what to do about inconsiderate parking near stadiums, particularly on match days.

Murrayfield is one of the venues where discounted public transport fares could be sold with game and concert tickets | Google

He said: “It would be helpful to give sports fans and concert goers an option to include public transport, at a discounted rate in their event or season tickets. This is currently being looked at for the proposed concert hall at Edinburgh Park.

“Considering including this option for Hearts, Hibs, big rugby occasions and concerts would make sense.

“As a football supporter, I am aware that season ticket sales are already underway. It would be good to understand what is possible when this comes back to the transport committee next month.

“Such an initiative could also take pressure off communities such as Lochend, which my colleague councillor Aston has previously raised.”

Councillors approved an addition to a parking strategy document on Thursday which called on officers to report on progress on exploring the plans at the next committee meeting in May.

It asked officers to see about allowing people going to sporting events to purchase a public transport ticket when they get their game tickets.

Their report will also include an update on building relationships between public transport operators in the city and concert and sporting venues.

The addition to the strategy document also noted that ‘poor parking by a minority of match day fans’ was causing problems for people living near the city’s stadiums.

It further asked that council officers increase the amount of parking enforcement near city stadiums on match days.