Seacourt Park and Ride expansion will be late than hoped – but could open in July 2020

The number of new car parking spaces will also be cut at the Botley Road site but Oxford City Council said £5.2m work remains ‘within an acceptable range’ to justify the project.

The authority had hoped the expanded site would be fully open next April. But that has now been pushed back by three months.

Initial work started last August, then stopped in September – but could fully restart in July.

Planning permission was granted for the scheme after a protracted battle in March 2018.

The council said the expansion is still needed because the site is frequently full and its use helps to stop the city centre’s roads clogging up.

But opponents have worried about the environmental impact, and that demand from drivers might drop.

The project’s budget was increased by about £900,000 when the council set its budget in February.

When complete, there will be about 1,400 car parking spaces at the park and ride site.

Andrew Gant, the leader of the city council’s Liberal Democrats, said: “We have consistently opposed the extension to Seacourt in both the last two years’ budgets.”

He added: “A huge amount of capital has been tied up in this. It will increase traffic on the A34 because people parking in it.

“There’s a state of uncertainty over parking in the city centre and it is just not a sensible investment.”

The authority had hoped to build 685 extra spaces but minor building changes mean that has now been reduced to 596.

It still expects to make about £190,000 more in parking fees every year after the extension is finished.

But it said it will take about 17 years to fully pay back its costs.

It has said worked has been timed so nearby work to the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme is not hampered.

Despite hefty costs, a report states the council should carry on with the expansion plan.

It notes: “As the amount of city centre parking is reduced and the zero emission zone is introduced, it is reasonably anticipated that the requirement for park and ride parking will increase.

“It is therefore appropriate that additional provision is made to enable and support a positive and sustainable change in customers’ behaviour. The consented scheme also makes provision for some additional electric vehicle charging points.”

Julia Clark, of Oxfordshire Badger Group, said the project's impact on wildlife amounted to 'absolute sacrilege'.

She said: “I still feel it’s not needed. It was a controversial planning application that should never have been passed anyway and it’s encouraging people to come into a very congested area.”

She added: “Environmentally, it’s very bad. The city council is talking about a low carbon Oxford – but they are putting [the expansion] there.”

A ground source heating pump will provide heating and hot water in a building for park and ride users. That building would have a ‘sedum-planted green roof’ and include toilets.

And the council said a ‘sustainable urban drainage system’ would be used for all tarmacked areas.

Alex Hollingsworth, the council’s cabinet member for planning and transport, said: “It’s city and county council policy to encourage the use of park and ride sites, and discourage motorists from driving into the city.

"This has been extremely successful in reducing city centre congestion and air pollution. Seacourt Park and Ride is filling up most days and, subject to cabinet approval, construction work on its expansion will start in July.”

Cabinet members will be asked to approve all work being carried out by the council’s own company, Oxford Direct Services, at a meeting next month.

The ‘obvious risk’ of the weather could delay the project – but could be mitigated by working for longer in drier periods.