NEW parking restrictions could soon be rolled out in Cowley to stop city-bound motorists dumping their cars there.

Controlled parking zones (CPZs) could be introduced on streets off Barns Road, stretching from Bartholomew Road to Between Towns Road.

A yearly permit could cost £50 for the first two cars, and £16 for a visitors’ pass – the price set by the county council for Oxford parking zones.

It follows complaints about motorists leaving their cars there and catching buses into the city centre.

County councillors John Sanders, David Henwood and Christine Simm will now ask residents about the proposal.

Mr Sanders said the scheme could be funded by developers’ cash, but could not say how much it might cost or which developers would be involved.

He added: “The questionnaire is just to gauge opinion – do people want a CPZ or not?

“The only people who can, and should, decide are the residents themselves.

“Whatever happens, I know I won’t be able to please everyone. It is with some trepidation that I suggested this idea to people in Cowley.

“But I think it could be the only solution. The problem is mainly commuters who park near a bus stop and then get the bus into town. There are also a lot of HMOs (houses in multiple occupation) which can see five or six different people having cars at one property.

“But this is a problem the crops up again and again, and at the end of the day it is not unreasonable that people should be able to park on the street that they live in.”

The Grates, one of the roads which could fall under the CPZ, at present has unrestricted parking. Residents there are unhappy about the proposals.

Gesturing to his red-brick drive, Graham Newbold, 42, said: “Because people are inconsiderate I paid almost £2,000 to have this installed. It is the only way I could have somewhere to park.”

He said shoppers could park in the Templars Square car park for £2.50 a day, rather than pay £15 to park in the city centre Westgate car park.

“But people park here and get the bus instead," added Mr Newbold. “They need to be more considerate. I know it is only £50, but it is the principal.

“Why should we pay to park on our own street?”

His wife Rachelle, 41, said: “Sometimes ambulances have to park in the middle of the road because they can’t get outside the house. It is frustrating.”

Heather McManus, 26, who also lives on The Grates, said: “I have a driveway so it would not affect us, but it could if we had friends over.

Neighbour Iffat Hussain, 30, said: “I like the idea because sometimes there’s too many cars crowding the road.”

  • Roads that could fall within the zone are: Dodgson Road, Liddell Road, Gaisford Road, The Grates, Hampden Road, Hockmore Street, Boswell Road, Bailey Road, Knolles Road, St Luke’s Road, Napier Road, Phipps Road, Banjo Road, Crowell Road and Batholomew Road.
  • For more information, email jsanders.oxf@btinternet.com
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