Oxford,
21
February
2019
|
10:20
Europe/London

Oxford on-street parking charge consultation begins

A consultation on proposals to alter charges and charging periods for on-street parking in Oxford has begun.

Encouraging better parking choices 

At present there are a range of different on-street charges in different locations in the city and it is also cheaper in some instances to park on-street than off.

The proposed new charges deal with the anomalies and encourage greater use of more sustainable off-street parking such as park and rides, or pay and displays, while ensuring those who do need to visit and park on-street for limited periods can do so.

The 30-minute on-street parking band will also be removed – this accounts for only 9% of on-street parking usage and encourages driving into the city for very short stays, with the associated impact on congestion and air pollution.

Funding transport improvements

Income from on-street fees goes towards running the service and any surplus that remains is used to fund transport-related improvements within the city, which includes the Park and Ride sites.

County Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet member for Environment, said:

“Traffic, congestion and parking are big issues for Oxford and the county and city council work together very closely to try to improve matters where we can.

The county council has not put up parking charges since 2015 in Oxford and we needed to look at them partly due to inflation but also in the wider context of how parking works in the city and can make a contribution to reducing congestion and encouraging thriving communities.

“Proactive and responsible management of the roads and parking are positive features of any city. By bringing our parking charges more into line with those for off-street car parks we are doing our bit to encourage more sustainable travel while making sure that city-centre parking is available for those who really want or need it.”

Documents giving more details of the proposals are available for public inspection online by visiting: https://consultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk, or in person at County Hall, New Road OX1 1ND from 8.30am to 4.30pm weekdays.