‘Tickets’ campaign to stop CPZ plans (From The Oxford Times)

‘Tickets’ campaign to stop CPZ plans

6:00pm Thursday 15th March 2012 in News By Amanda Williams

CAMPAIGNERS against a residents’ parking zone for East Oxford have been handing out their own ‘parking tickets’ to drivers.

Controversial plans for a controlled parking zone (CPZ) scheme for the Magdalen Road and Divinity Road areas look set to be approved at a meeting at County Hall on Thursday next week.

Since the idea was first mooted about six years ago, more than £312,000 has been spent on six public consultations but only now does the scheme look likely to be implemented after a ‘final’ consultation.

Members of the East Oxford Against CPZ group were in Magdalen Road during Tuesday morning’s rush hour to hand out fake tickets to people parking in the area.

Campaigner Dr Amar Latif, said: “This is a diverse area, and where there are parking pressures it is in the evenings and due to legitimate residents’ parking.

“Introducing a CPZ aimed at stopping commuters parking will do nothing to help the area in the evenings."

He added: “During the day there are no parking pressures, we all have many visitors to our area that help create our vibrant community, and we as residents welcome this.

“We don’t want to stifle the quality of family life that this scheme would create, or choke local businesses of vital customers in these tough economic times. “ Dominic Woodfield, of Silver Road, added: “The East Oxford we value, with its expanding cafe culture on Magdalen Road, the recovery of pubs that were dead on their feet, and the ongoing survival of our schools, community groups, places of worship and long-established and treasured businesses, is genuinely threatened by this ill-conceived attempt to solve a problem that simply isn’t there.

“Today it is just a mock fine we are handing out, but next time it could be a real parking ticket that these legitimate visitors find on their windscreens.”

If the scheme is approved, residents will need to buy a £50 annual permit to park on the street outside their home.

A Magdalen Road CPZ was originally approved by the county council in 2009 but put on hold after objections from residents.

Over the last few weeks letters have been sent to more than 3,000 addresses within the proposed zones, detailing of the plans. The council says this was “a final consultation”.

Cabinet member for transport Rodney Rose has been recommended by officers to press ahead with the scheme when it comes up for a decision at Thursday’s ‘Delegated Decisions’ meeting which is held in public and starts at 10am.

Residents can address the meeting. Email graham.warrington@oxfordshire.gov.uk if you wish to speak.