Platform for campaign to get better station parking (From The Oxford Times)

Platform for campaign to get better station parking

3:00pm Monday 6th August 2012 in Witney

RAIL commuters have called for Kingham’s car park to be expanded in the next development phase.

Car parks at Hanborough and Charlbury stations are already being extended.

Kingham Station’s 140-space car park is often full by 10.30am and commuters have been parking on nearby verges.

One potential site for extra spaces is the former Station Garage area next to the entrance.

Oxfordshire County Council painted double yellow lines along the verges a month ago but there are concerns the problem may be pushed elsewhere.

In 2010/2011 there were 150,890 trips starting or ending at Kingham.

Cotswold Line Promotion Group chairman John Ellis said: “The CLPR has been pressing for additional capacity at Kingham for a little while now.

“Now we have got Charlbury, Hanborough and Pershore in Worcestershire on the go, Kingham is the next logical place in need of more capacity.

“At the moment the car park is often full and people are having to park on the verge, which is not desirable and is now illegal. More importantly, if people are not confident they can get a space they are not going to travel by rail.

“And you don’t need me to tell you about congestion around Oxford.”

Churchill and Sarsden Parish Council chairman Martin Bradshaw said: “We need a car park capable of meeting the demand. The road has no speed limit and people come over the railway station bridge at high speed. It can be dangerous when people park on the verge. The more we get off the road the better.”

First Great Western spokesman James Davis said: “We are happy to work with CLPG and other groups, however we have no plans to extend the car park at Kingham in the current franchise.”