Parking permits not needed say Rose Hill and Iffley residents

Early plans for more controlled parking zones (CPZs) across Oxford were announced at the start of February, and could see drivers having to pay to park outside their homes across 13 more areas of the city.

Oxfordshire County Council, which launched a survey on the rollout, has said the scheme will stop commuters who will not have the permits from parking their cars in residential areas and clogging up the street.

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But in Rose Hill and Iffley, residents and their councillor Ed Turner say commuter parking is not a problem, with one local describing the plans as 'using a sledgehammer to crack a nut’.

Mr Turner, city councillor for both neighbourhoods said: “In my time as a councillor, commuter parking has not been identified as a major problem in our area. I think there is a real risk of solving a problem that doesn’t currently exist at a charge of £65 a year.”

The Oval, Rose Hill, Oxford. Picture: Google Maps

The Oval at the heart of Rose Hill. Picture: Google Maps

He added: “I hope people respond to the consultation, and I would be very surprised if there was strong support to create a CPZ.”

The councillor also said he was surprised his area was being ‘reconsulted’ on the plans, as a similar survey some years ago showed there was little support for CPZs in Rose Hill and Iffley, and little evidence that other nearby areas had parking problems.

Mr Turner, who is also deputy leader of the council, said there could be a change in opinion around CPZs for his ward if plans to introduce a workplace parking levy on big employers in Oxford led commuters to change their habits and parking there.

But currently, plans for this levy are not likely to come forward until 2023 at the earliest.

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Residents of the area have also been worried that about the proposals.

Tim Bell, a resident of Ellesmere Road, part of an area known locally as Iffley Borders, said he thought the plans were a case of ‘using a sledgehammer to crack a nut’.

Mr Bell, who has replied to the council survey, added: “Because of Covid, we have set up street WhatsApp groups that people have used to help each other out.”

“It also allows people to voice some more communal opinions… there are 60 households on the two groups I am part of and as far as I am aware one or two people say ‘never say never’ to a CPZ but most think this doesn’t seem appropriate for the here and now: we don’t want it.”

A map of planned Controlled Parking Zones in Oxford. Picture: Oxfordshire County Council

A map of the planned new CPZs.

Other neighbours, Nick and Alison Worlledge, said they were worried about the effects a CPZ could have on people’s gardens and on the public realm.

Mrs Worlledge said people may be tempted to pave over their front gardens to use as a driveway, to avoid paying the permit fee.

She said: “Front gardens are really important in suburban areas for a whole host of reasons. If it was to go ahead – how does that affect the carbon footprint?

“In Covid for example, what front gardens have allowed people to do is talk to each other and meet each other in a safe space.”

READ AGAIN about proposals to introduce these zones in every area of Oxford

Mr Worlledge suggested that, if CPZs were introduced, money raised from the permits and any fines given out could be redistributed to improve those streets, including planting new trees.

A spokesman for Oxfordshire County Council, which is holding the consultation survey, said: “Together, Oxford City and Oxfordshire County Council are proposing to fund and introduce several new Controlled Parking Zones across the city, and these reflect where development and traffic pressures are currently high, or are expected to be high when development takes place over the next few years.

“Before introducing a Controlled Parking Zone, we need to consult widely to assess how it could meet the needs of residents and local businesses. We are therefore asking local residents and business for their views on the proposed zones. “

They added: “It is anticipated that feedback from the consultations will be presented to elected councillors in spring 2021, where priorities would be set for a future programme of new parking zones in the city. Subject to approval and funding, formal consultations on new schemes would then start later this year.”

Controlled Parking Zone.13/11/2018.Picture by Ed Nix.

There are already 37 CPZs around Oxford, and nine more have recently been approved or funded.

The new CPZs are being jointly funded by Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council.

The 13 areas where CPZs are up for consideration include: Barton, Blackbird Leys, Donnington, Greater Leys, Iffley, Jordan Hill, Littlemore North, Littlemore South, Lower Wolvercote, Risinghurst, Rose Hill, South Oxford (extension), Upper Wolvercote.

The majority of the new parking permits will likely be needed on week days and Saturdays outside of evenings, which is similar to existing CPZ rules.

The survey on the plans can be found at the county council website until March 5.

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