THE first week of October is well known for turmoil as thousands of Oxford University students arrive to start the new term.

But it appears that some of them, and their parents, have abused the privilege they are granted to unload their luggage outside their colleges.

The problem has been particularly acute this year in Turl Street, where cars blocked the street to the annoyance of traders, shoppers and passersby.

The students were allowed to park for 40 minutes. That should have been more than enough to transport a few cases and trunks into the college.

But many overran the time, causing severe disruption to townsfolk and tourists.

Traders complained that if they and their suppliers had parked for an unreasonable time in the street, they would have been booked.

But it seems that parking attendants on this occasion turned a blind eye to the illegal parking.

It would be unreasonable to expect students to park elsewhere and drag their belongings through the streets.

But colleges in narrow roads like The Turl should work out a rota system so that students arrive to a pre-arranged timetable, not haphazardly, so that inconvenience to everyone else is kept to a minimum.