Oxford Park and Ride: Free parking idea 'kiboshed', councillor says

Travellers on the service currently have to pay to park as well as ride

A councillor has said a council "kiboshed" his idea of making parking free at a city's park and ride sites.

Conservative Liam Walker put forward the motion for Oxford at an Oxfordshire County Council meeting earlier.

He said the move would encourage more people to use buses instead of driving into the city.

Duncan Enright, cabinet member for travel and development strategy, favoured a plan to make park and rides more attractive to residents.

An amended version of the motion, which was voted through, said the council would continue working on measures to get more people using buses, but no mention of free parking was included.

The authority, currently run by a Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green alliance, has recently announced a trial developed with the city council, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach, which will offer a cheaper, combined ticket for parking and bus travel.

Taskforce

Parking charges were introduced in 2013, but Mr Walker said he wanted a cross-party taskforce to "explore the viability" of making it free again.

He told the meeting the taskforce could examine "ways to improve our park and rides and ultimately get rid of the parking charge".

Mr Enright said while he welcomed the sentiments behind the motion, a taskforce was not needed as the council was already working closely with the city council and bus companies.

Andrew Gant, cabinet member for highway management, said making the sites free would cost a "huge amount of money".

Mr Walker suggested that some funds could be found if the council scrapped its Low Traffic Neighbourhoods scheme.

Speaking after the meeting he told the BBC: "They've completely kiboshed any idea of a cross-party taskforce to look to improve public transport so for us it's back to the drawing board."

He said he would ask his party to make free parking at the sites a key manifesto pledge at the next county council election.