THERE has been a lot written about concepts on how to tackle congestion around Oxford, where the leader of the county council has stressed that the transport policy is not to encourage more cars on to the city road network.

Readers might like to think back to the public inquiry held in the late 1990s, when the county council proposed to construct a 1,000-car Gosford and Water Eaton park-and-ride.

Among others, this parish council objected to the proposal on the grounds of it being in the Green Belt and causing unacceptable levels of traffic congestion.

During this inquiry some evidence was given concerning research conducted by the Oxford University Transport Unit and that the county council should follow this lead by providing a number of satellite park-and-rides near county towns, where commuters could break their journeys and use a bus to the city instead.

The outcome was that the inquiry inspector recommended refusal of the Gosford and Water Eaton park-and-ride planning application submitted to the Secretary of State, where one of the reasons was about causing too much traffic congestion in this area. However in the meantime the county council submitted a second planning application for an 800-car Gosford and Water Eaton park-and-ride and this ended up being approved and constructed.

Returning to more recent times, the Chiltern Railway Transport Order Inquiry was eventually approved by the then Secretary of State to provide 900 car spaces at Oxford Parkway. Any highway and traffic concerns about congestion were dismissed by proposing a rearrangement of access. There are differences in opinion over traffic predictions, but this should become clearer once Chiltern Railways is open for business and what on-street parking problems will occur in this parish.

CARL SMITH
Acting temporary clerk, Gosford and Water Eaton Parish Council
Cromwell Way, Gosford
Kidlington