Woodstock - proposed parking restrictions

We're asking for your views on the proposals to amend parking restrictions in Woodstock. The existing parking provision includes a mixture of 1 hour, 3 hour and 23-hour parking bays, with areas for disabled parking. Issues have been raised that this is not properly enforced and does not cater for residents parking in the centre. A public exhibition displaying the proposals will be held as follows:

• Saturday 19th March: 9.30am – 12noon, Woodstock Community Centre, New Road, Woodstock.
• Monday 21^st March: 6.30pm – 8.00pm, Woodstock Town Hall, Market Place, Woodstock.

An overview of the proposed new measures is outlined below:

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 between 8am to 6pm (7 days a week), Max Stay 3 hours (no return within 1 hour). The first 30 minutes will remain free and there will be exemptions for permit holders, who will be exempt from charges and time limits. These restrictions will apply in the following roads: Market Street; Market Place; Park; High Street Car Park; High Street; Rectory Lane and Oxford 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.
• Permit exemptions for residents to park all day in the central area.
• Introduction charges will encourage shorter trips into 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, unless a valid Woodstock parking permit, or blue badge are on display. The charges are proposed are:

Proposed Ultra-short stay parking areas

To accommodate short stops where a parking ticket will not be required it is proposed to introduce some ultra-short stay bays – Max stay 20 minutes, 8am to 6pm no return within an hour (No requirement to display a parking ticket) at the following locations: High Street – outside the co-op and up to No’26; Park Street – outside the post office; Oxford Street – between No’s 18-22; Oxford Street between No’25-31.

Proposed permit holder only parking areas

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 the following roads would be reserved for residents only parking and their visitors during the hours of 8am – 6pm (7 days week): Cockpit Close, Rectory Lane, Bear Close, Union Street, Brook Hill – from the junction with Oxford Street to the junction with Union Street; Upper Brook Hill, Chaucer’s Lane, Harrison’s Lane, Brown’s Lane, Oxford Street (service road) – spaces opposite No’s 45 to 53 and New Road from its junction with recreation road southwards – with the exception of proposed time limited bays outside the community centre; Oxford Street – south side – in the layby adjacent to No’s 85-87.

The general operating principles that apply for the permit scheme in Woodstock:

• Resident’s permits are limited to 1 per resident with a maximum of 2 per property.
• Only eligible residents (specified in the traffic order) may apply and proof of residency and vehicle ownership will be required on application.
• The fee for a resident’s permit is currently set at £65 per annum, per vehicle.
• Visitors are catered for by scratch-cards which last for 24 hours when used. 25 per annum are issued free and residents can purchase an additional 25 after a 6 month period for £25 (no charge for residents over 70) - maximum 50 per annum.
• Business permits will be available for businesses (where it is essential for business purposes) within the Woodstock (WS) permit holder bays/areas. Permits will be limited to a maximum of two permits per business and will be vehicle specific. The charge for each will be £150 per annum.
• Blue badge holders can park in permit parking areas/bays without the need to display a permit.
• A permit allows the holder to park in an area/bay designated for use with that permit. It does not allow the user to contravene other restrictions such as double yellow lines. It also does not guarantee a space directly outside a property and any marked spaces are not allocated or reserved to induvial permit holders.
• Permits are available for contractors carrying out works on properties and for registered carers and healthcare workers.

Proposed new 2-hour parking bays

To facilitate short visits in the New Road permit parking area, it is proposed to provide marked bays for 2-hour parking, between 8am – 6pm. These bays will be located directly outside the Community Centre.

New cycle parking areas in the centre of Woodstock

The proposals include the introduction of on-carriageway cycle parking stands which will encourage more users to visit the centre of Woodstock by cycle. These stands are proposed to be located at key locations outside the Co-op on High Street and Park Street outside the museum.

What happens next?

Please read the detailed information/documents 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 15 April 2022. Oxfordshire County Council will collate all correspondence and comments received in response to this consultation, and they may be disseminated widely for these purposes and made available to the public.

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 26th May 2022. 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