A COUPLE of days ago, I sent the following email to Traffic.Consult@oxfordshire.gov.uk who are asking for comments on the proposed new charges at Thornhill car park.

May I respectfully suggest that your readers might also like to send their comments, particularly if they object to the increases.

‘Today I noticed that there was a sign at Thornhill Park and Ride saying that the charges were to be increased again and inviting comment.

I strongly object to these charges. The current charges web page states “The aim is to protect parking associated mainly with daily journeys into Oxford which remains free for up to 11 hours.”

So why has this policy changed? Why are commuters into Oxford now being charged £2 for up to 11 hours? Why is it necessary to raise the next band from £3 to £4 ?

Now that the Thornhill car park has been extended, why is it necessary to dissuade people from going to London by charging for 11+ hours at all? If they are raised much further, it will be cheaper to drive to London in a car – so much for green policies. Maybe a charge for 24+ hours is reasonable to discourage really long-term parking.

Also there was no indication on the notice that I could see that there would be a free grace period when picking up or dropping off. Sometimes you need to wait for 30+ minutes if a bus has been delayed or the passenger missed the expected connection. Surely you would not be expected to pay for this time?

It wasn’t long ago that all Park and Ride car parks were free and rightly so. But once the ownership changed hands the charges came in and are now being increased. Anyone would think the council views motorists as an inexhaustible supply of easy money. In turn, they are viewed by motorists as greedy. Do they not realise that, by charging exorbitant parking fees, they drive custom and trade away from the city?

Why do you think that Witney has a thriving town centre with hardly an empty unit while every time I go into Oxford there are more and more unoccupied shops?

If parking charges have to remain at Thornhill, would someone please take a close look at the ticket machines? The touch screens do not work well, causing mistakes when trying to enter data, particularly in cold, wet weather when your fingers are numb. How many fines have been generated by this sort of accidental mis-keying of data?’

PETER JENNINGS

Englands Lane

Appleton