Illegal parkers fined as they blight Bicester

Thames Valley Police said June’s fixed penalty notices included many issued to people wrongly parking in disabled spaces, with much of the problem in the town centre.

Bicester town’s neighbourhood policing team also revealed parking continued to be “the main complaint”. Hotspots highlighted include Market Square, North Street and the disabled bay in Bell Lane.

In a monthly update to residents, PC James Waterson said: “There is no excuse for illegally parking in the town centre, especially with the two hours’ free parking in Pioneer Square.

“Drivers who choose to park illegally in the town centre can expect to receive a fine.”

He added: “Numerous £30 tickets have been issued in and around the town centre, including 25 tickets for illegally parked vehicles in the disabled bay.”

No-one at Thames Valley Police was available comment further on whether police would launch a specific operation to tackle the issue, nor the impact on illegal parking had on the force’s workload.

Cherwell District Council is undertaking a review of its car parks and aims to report the outcome in autumn.

Town centre car parks include Sainsbury’s in Pioneer Square, Market Square car park, the Cattle Market car park and Claremont car park.

Calls have been made to introduce more free parking to stamp out the problem and help local businesses.

Bicester town councillor Les Sibley said: “The biggest complaints I get is that people are ringing police and police are saying resources are stretched.

“More than 100 penalties just highlights that we have got a real parking problem and we need to tackle it.”

He added: “There are problems all around the centre in the nearby streets, especially Bucknell Road. We know people park up and go off to the station because they will not pay the fees at the station.”

Steve Warne, sales manager at Homegoods near Market Square, said: “Parking is very much an issue here in Bicester.

“If parking was free, it would bring more people in.”