Thame: High Street & Park Street area - proposed parking amendments

We're asking for your views on the proposals to amend parking restrictions in Thame. To better manage the demand for retail and residential parking the County Council are proposing a number of changes to how on-street parking bays are used by residents and visitors to the town. The existing parking provision includes a mixture of 1 hour and 2 hour and 3 hour bays with areas for disabled parking, and issues have been raised that this does not cater for residents parking in the centre and surrounding roads.

Note: the two existing main car parks located on High Street and Upper High Street will remain free of charge, with no changes proposed.

Proposed Paid Parking Bays with exemptions for permit holders: Under the proposals, the existing time limited bays will be replaced with paid parking bays where charges will apply from Mon–Sat, 8am to 6pm, Max Stay 2 ½ hours (no return within 1 hour). The first 30 minutes will remain free and for bays located on Upper High Street only there will be concessions for permit holders, who will be exempt from the charges and time limits.

Restrictions will apply in the following roads: High Street (part), Cornmarket, Upper High Street. The benefits to the residents, businesses and visitors include:

• More efficient and effective enforcement of the restrictions.
• Better turnover of parking spaces, creating more opportunities for users to park.
• Introducing charges will encourage more trips to the centre to be made on foot.
• A reduction of vehicles circulating looking for parking spaces.

A parking ticket, available from nearby parking metres would be required to be displayed within the vehicle, or a blue badge is on display. For bays where permit holders are exempt, they will be required to hold a valid residents permit for the vehicle.

The charges proposed are (Max stay 2 ½ hours):

• 30minutes Free (limit of 1 session in any 24-hour period)
• 1 hour £1.00
• 2 hours £1.60

Proposed permit holder bays: The proposals to better manage how parking is used within the central area also include steps to mitigate potential displacement into adjoining roads and residential areas. Under these proposals some roads would be reserved for residents only parking and their visitors during the hours of 8am – 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

Proposed removal of No Waiting at any time restrictions (double yellow lines): The plans include proposals to rationalise some areas of existing restrictions to make it clearer where parking is not permitted, and removal of some sections of restrictions to allow informal parking to continue without being affected by enforcement.

Proposed Street Traders only bay: It is intended to formalise the existing arrangement of a street vendors pitch outside the Citizens Advice Bureau on Upper High Street. A Street Traders bay will be signed accordingly. Charges will apply for the issue of a street traders permit.

Introduction of a formal traders permit for use in the High Street and Upper High Street Car Parks: The current arrangement operating in the central area of Thame will be formalised with 24 hour scratch cards replacing the paper based permits. These will continue to be issued by the Town Council on behalf of the County Council. Charges will apply for the application and issue of a Traders Permit.

Proposed extension of existing taxi bay: It is proposed to extend the existing taxi bay located on High Street opposite the Town Hall to facilitate additional vehicles to rank in the bays without causing an obstruction to passing traffic

What happens next?

Please read the detailed information provided on this consultation, and take the time to complete the survey as your views and opinions matter. Your response should be completed and returned by Friday 14 October 2022.

Whilst we will endeavour to answer simple queries during the course of the consultation, any more complex questions/issues will be appraised and dealt with as part of consultation process.

The County Council will review the responses and if necessary (i.e. if objections are received) prepare a report to be presented to the Cabinet Member for Highway Management at a meeting scheduled for later in 2022/early in 2023. This will be public meeting at which members of the public may apply to speak. The agenda and reports for meetings will be made available on the Oxfordshire County Council web site about a week before the meeting (please note that occasionally it is necessary to defer reports to a later meeting, and it is therefore advisable to check the agenda ahead of attending a meeting). The Forward Plan of decisions meetings can be viewed here