Have your say on proposals to change parking arrangements in Woodstock

Residents and businesses are being urged to have their say on proposals for a residents’ parking scheme, pay and display bays, and other changes for motorists in Woodstock.

Oxfordshire County Council has worked with Woodstock Town Council and local councillors to draw up the proposals, with the aim of improving the management of parking in the town centre. It follows informal consultations in November 2019 into parking usage and demand.

The proposals are aimed at improving the situation for residents, increasing the turnover of parking for shoppers, encouraging more short journeys by foot and improving action against inconsiderate parkers, while generating revenue to fund the scheme and provide effective enforcement.

Off street car parks are controlled by West Oxfordshire District Council and will be unaffected by these proposals.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “Local problems need local solutions and the people of Woodstock have been calling for action on the parking problem for years. We have drawn up measures – following input from residents, businesses, and councillors – and are putting forward an on-street parking plan that addresses enforcement and residents and business parking.

“It is now the time for residents and businesses to have their say as part of this consultation. We want to hear from as many people as possible so that we get the widest cross-section of views.

"West Oxfordshire District Council will remain in control of the off-street parking that it owns, including any change to charges. The county council only looks after on-street parking and we will only alter the current arrangements if local communities ask us to.”

The consultation comes two days after Cabinet voted to allow Oxfordshire County Council to take over responsibility from West Oxfordshire District Council for penalising motorists who break the rules in West Oxfordshire. When the agreement is formally ended in spring 2023, after a 12 month notice period, the county council will manage on-street infringements, such as yellow lines, loading bays and bus lanes, as it already does in Oxford City, Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, and the Vale of White Horse districts.

Cllr Bearder added: “Residents in West Oxfordshire have repeatedly reached out to us with concerns about enforcement in key locations. So, as well as these measures in Woodstock, we will also manage on-street parking in the district and we are confident that this will improve the situation for our residents.”

The Woodstock proposals include:

• The introduction of pay and display bays in the central area with exemptions for permit holders. The first 30 minutes in any 24 hour period would be free.
• The introduction of some ultra-short stay parking areas.
• New permit holder only parking areas to manage displacement. The fee for a resident’s permit is currently £65 a year per vehicle and includes 25 annual scratch cards for visitor parking.
• Additional two-hour parking bays on some roads.
• New cycle parking areas.

Oxfordshire County Council will be running two exhibitions to answer questions:

• Saturday 19 March, 9.30am – 12 noon at Woodstock Community Centre, New Road
• Monday 21 March, 6.30pm - 8pm at Woodstock Town Hall, Market Place.

Plans and documents will also be available to view in person at: Woodstock Library, The Oxfordshire Museum, Fletcher's House, Park Street, Woodstock, OX20 1SN, 10am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm Tuesday to Friday, 10am - 12.30pm and 1pm - 4.30pm Saturday, and 2pm - 5pm on Sunday, and also at County Hall, New Street, Oxford, OX1 1ND,  9am - 4pm Monday to Friday.

The public consultation opened on 17 March on Let’s Talk Oxfordshire and the closing date for comments is 15 April.

Oxfordshire County Council will review the responses and prepare a report to be presented to the Cabinet member for highways management at a meeting scheduled for 26 May 2022, where a decision is due to be made.

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