PEOPLE in Botley have complained their streets are becoming clogged with cars after the nearby West Way shopping centre was demolished.

Grass verges are being ruined, pavements are being blocked and driveways made difficult to navigate because of inconsiderate parking with Oxford commuters using the residential roads now that the car parks at the former shopping centre have been taken away.

One disgruntled resident of Westminster Way, who did not wish to be named, said the street was almost being used a new ‘park-and-ride’.

They said: “They park up in the morning and get the bus into town, so the cars are often there all day.

The resident added: “Sometimes more than half of the car is on the path, which means mothers with pushchairs in particular have to go up on the verge to get past.

“The street is quite narrow and it’s a busy road.

“It’s made getting out of the driveway difficult too.”

Work to demolish the West Way shopping centre began in May with the site being transformed into a new multi-million pound residential and retail development.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

Vale of White Horse District councillor, Emily Smith, said the West Way development had exacerbated an existing problem.

She said: “For many years there has been a problem with commuter parking in Botley, exacerbated first by Oxford City Council charging people to park at Seacourt Park-and-Ride and now the reduction of parking spaces at the West Way shops.

“Ultimately, illegal and dangerous parking is currently the responsibility of the police, and I am in contact with them on a weekly basis about dangerous parking.

“But the police have been saying for years that they simply do not have the resources to enforce parking infringements.”

A business case is currently being drawn up to set out how the district council could take on enforcement responsibilities and start a civil parking scheme, but this will take a few years to implement.

Ms Smith urged councils to provide safe places for people to park and ride or park and cycle into Oxford so that commuters were 'not forced' to park on residential streets.

Oxford City Council is currently in the middle of a multi-million pound extension to Seacourt Park and Ride and has in the past urged motorists to use the service.