Labour councillors are urging civic chiefs to think again over a consultation on controlled parking zones (CPZ) for the Rose Hill area after they found householders were overwhelmingly against the proposal. 

Oxfordshire County Council has just launched a public consultation on plans to introduce the measures. 

It is proposed the scheme would be introduced as a ‘Permit Parking Area’ which uses entry and repeater signs to inform motorists of the restrictions in place with operational hours for the zone for ‘Residents Permit Parking’ being Monday to Sunday between 8am and 6.30pm.

Non-permit holders will be eligible to park for a maximum of two hours.

Oxford City Council's deputy leader Ed Turner and county councillor Trish Elphinstone, who both represent the Rose Hill area, recently conducted their own survey to get residents' opinions on the idea.

They found that 91 per cent of 175 respondents were against it.

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Trish Elphinstone, Anneliese Dodds and Ed Turner (Image: Contributed) Mr Turner said: “I am concerned about the cost of the consultation when the result will be inevitable rejection.

"I'd be more concerned still if the county council intended to ignore the results of consultation.

"In any event, I would want to encourage everyone in the area to respond to the consultation.

"People are really worried about the cost to householders and a sense of solving a problem that doesn't currently exist.”

The councillors have written to the county council, urging them to think again.

The letter said: “Given the strength of opinion of residents, we ask not to go ahead with the formal consultation both Rose Hill and North Littlemore.

"The outcome of such a consultation is completely clear and would therefore be an unnecessary expense. Instead, we suggest the money is saved for local expenditure.

“We believe that the views of residents in Rose Hill and 'Iffley borders' are sufficiently clear that we ask you formally, as elected local councillors, not to proceed with a full consultation on a CPZ for Rose Hill and North Littlemore, and to exclude 'Iffley Borders' from the proposed CPZ in Iffley."

Anneliese Dodds, Labour MP for Oxford East, said: "It is essential the county council listens to local opinion before bringing in controlled parking zones.

"I would also urge them to address dangerous parking, for instance on corners and by the zebra crossing, on Rose Hill and elsewhere."

In the county council's statement of reason, it said: “The proposals aim to alleviate the problems associated with non-resident parking and overflow parking from adjacent CPZs.”

The consultation is open until Friday, October 11.

For more details about the plans, visit letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxford_rosehill_cpz2024.