Cheltenham shows the way (From The Oxford Times)

Cheltenham shows the way

7:40am Thursday 9th September 2010 in

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Sir – So, motorists are deserting the city because of high car parking charges (Report, September 2)? Well, there’s a surprise!

To us normal folk outside the rarefied atmosphere of the City Chambers, it was as plain as a pikestaff that raising already exorbitant parking fees by 15 per cent would have exactly that effect.

Last Saturday, we reluctantly ventured into Oxford as Marks & Spencer was the only store in the area stocking two items we urgently needed. An hour in Worcester Street car park cost £3, a further hour and 20 minutes in St Giles, £3 once more — quite unbelievable. Oxford suffers not only from costly parking, but also poor shopping; both are the result of haphazard and badly managed planning.

I am convinced that retailers shun the city because they fear protracted wrangles over planning and know that shoppers are deterred by parking fees.

Even where the opportunity exists for new retail development, it is bungled. In 20 years, I have lost count of the number of false dawns regarding the Westgate Centre renewal; now, I will believe it when I see it.

The planned new shopping complex from the Post Office to Marks & Spencer has died a death, seemingly because of excessive Section 106 demands by the city council.

Cheltenham shows how it should be done, a warm and welcoming ambience, traffic-friendly, ample and reasonable parking, excellent shopping.

Sadly, unless we get a council that actually works for the people it purports to serve, Oxford city centre will continue to exude a dowdy and frowsty image to the few willing to pay through the nose to visit.

Nigel Wild, Ascott-under-Wychwood