A COMMUNITY split by long-standing plans for new parking scheme is drawing up its own plans for the project in an attempt to settle differences.

Plans for a controlled parking zone (CPZ) in the Magdalen Road area sparked a strong reaction from car owners when they were first tabled two years ago.

Many residents say they cannot park outside their own homes and welcome planned restrictions.

However, others don’t want to pay for the privilege of parking in front of their own homes.

But instead of letting Oxfordshire County Council decide what is best, the rival factions have now taken the matter into their own hands.

This week, residents met to discuss their own survey and report on possible options.

Anthony Cheke, who owns the Inner Bookshop in Magdalen Road and lives in Hurst Street, said the meeting was very constructive and further discussion would be held to agree a way forward.

He said: “The various schools of opinions are talking to each other and that wasn’t case a few months ago.”

He added that most people believed a flexible scheme was the way forward.

“The main thrust was to have a provisional situation where you don’t enact on the ground all of what has been agreed by the county council.

“Then, if there were overspill issues or it was felt necessary to extend the zone, it could be done without the need for further consultation and the expense of that.”

The council wants to introduce a CPZ to cut commuter parking, congestion and to stop emergency services vehicles being blocked.

But the plan to introduce the CPZ was put on ice in March after deep divisions over the proposals were aired during a meeting at County Hall. The county agreed to carry out another consultation.

The council has already spent £160,000 on five previous consultations, including £11,000 for the last one in December.

City councillor David Williams, who has chaired the working group of residents, said: “We want a consensus voice so there is no more bitterness and division.”

He said more than 70 concerned residents had met in May to discuss the issue.

“The conclusion was there should be a working group to find a consensus as we have two groups, one fighting for a CPZ and one fighting against it,” he said.

“That working group has gone through all sorts of issues regarding parking and has been out canvassing in the local area.”

Residents have been told they would have to pay £40 per vehicle, per year, for a parking permit, although this would rise to £50.

The last round of consultation found 61 per cent of residents raised minor or major objections to the scheme, which would result in 91 fewer parking spaces in the affected streets.

Its consultation in December showed a clear split between residents south of Magdalen Road, where in some streets 91 per cent of households opposed the scheme, compared with streets north of Magdalen Road where 83 per cent supported it.

The council agreed to re-consult on a zone excluding properties in Magdalen Road and to the south but including streets north of Magdalen Road.

A county council spokesman said that consultation would be carried out later this year.