Council attempts to find middle ground amid Cutteslowe CPZ wrangles (From Oxford Mail)

Council attempts to find middle ground amid Cutteslowe CPZ wrangles

11:10am Friday 22nd March 2013 in News By Freddie Whittaker, covering Politics and Kidlington. Call me on 01865 425498

A COMPROMISE aimed at solving parking problems around Cutteslowe Park that developed after the city council began charging visitors has been approved.

County council deputy leader Rodney Rose yesterday signed off on proposals for the surrounding streets which fellow councillors say is a “middle ground”.

Residents complained after charges for the car park at the open space were introduced two years ago, leading to problems with park users leaving their cars in residential streets to avoid having to pay up.

The council carried out a public consultation on a series of measures to address the problem, but opinion was divided.

While some residents opposed parking restrictions in their streets, others actively asked for them.

Now the city council has agreed a plan with controlled parking zones introduced on 10 stretches of road, and two hours free parking on others.

Summertown and Wolvercote councillor Jean Fooks said: “We hope we have reached the middle ground. The first proposal was for everyone to have an hour maximum parking, but some people wanted permit parking only on their roads.”

Under the new proposals, only those with parking permits, which cost £50 per year, will be able to park in Harbord Road, Lovelace Road, Talbot Road, Hayward Road, Holt Weer Close, Prior’s Forge, Pennywell Drive, Sparsey Place and the lower part of Templars Road. A permit scheme will also be introduced alongside a two-hour free parking restriction for visitors in Harefields, Kendall Crescent and parts of Templars Road.

Residents in the stretch of Templars Road nearest the main road have decided to opt out of the scheme.

Talbot Road resident Suzanne McIvor, pictured, said: “When there was initial consultation last summer, the majority view in Five Mile Drive was that there needed to be something done about commuter parking. “Once they decided to do Five Mile Drive, having parking restrictions in our area was the only sensible thing to do.”

Charges at Cutteslowe Park and other open spaces came into force in 2011, and netted the council £26,000 income in the first six months. Drivers pay 50p for half an hour, £1 for up to three hours and £2 for up to 24 hours. Parking restrictions in Five Mile Drive have already been approved, and will be put in place at the same time as the Cutteslowe proposals, which will be by the end of April.

 

Permit-only scheme introduced

PLANS to introduce permit-only parking in Botley have been approved.
Yesterday, Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for transport Rodney Rose approved plans for the changes in Elms Road.
The proposals were put together after residents complained about commuters parking outside their homes.
The scheme will allow residents to park their vehicles in the street if they pay £50 for a permit. It will be open to Elms Road residents and a number of people who live in the West Way flats.