A COUNCIL has been accused of commencing 'war' with residents as it ploughs ahead with parking restrictions.

Oxfordshire County Council is consulting on a controlled parking zone (CPZ) on 21 roads in East Oxford, mostly off Cowley Road.

The area, described as Cowley Marsh, currently has unrestricted on-street parking but the council wants residents to pay for £60 permits.

  • Scroll down for the full list of affected roads

North Way resident Georgina Gibbs, who has family in the affected area, said: “I went to see other residents and they were up in arms.

“We think it’s a war on residents in Oxford - it’s not to stop people parking there.

“The council must be raking in millions [from permits]. They’re being greedy.

“They are abusing the use of CPZs. It’s the residents who are being penalised."

ALSO READ: Angry neighbour 'punctures tyre' after leaving parking note

She said she could see the logic of restricted parking in areas near hospitals and large employment sites, but that the council should ‘not be using a blanket scheme’ to roll out CPZs elsewhere.

Plans would mean that only people with permits would be allowed to park on the roads, with some general two-hour limited use between 8am and 6.30pm.

In Barracks Lane, one of the roads included, there would also be some four-hour spaces by the allotment gardens.

The council is also currently consulting on controlled parking zones in the Lamarsh Road area and in and around Hollow Way.

Residents can submit views on the three proposed zones until Friday, March 6.

Informal consultation about the plans was held in 2018, prompting a petition opposing the CPZ in Cowley Marsh, signed by 19 people.

Oxford Mail:

Oxfordshire County Council map of the CPZ proposal in Cowley Marsh

See full image here

The consultation also sought opinions about 15 other proposed CPZs.

According to a council report about the informal responses, 50 per cent of 162 Cowley Marsh residents who responded were in favour, and 50 per cent were against.

In Littlemore, Florence Park and Risinghurst, more than 70 per cent of respondents were against the plan.

Concerns raised at the time included the cost of permits, a perceived lack of enforcement, and concerns about visitors such as carers being unfairly impacted.

In Headington Quarry, however, 72 per cent were in favour of theirs.

The council’s survey at the time recorded very little difference between the number of vehicles parked in Cowley Marsh during the day, and those parked overnight - about 450 for each period.

ALSO READ: Village alarm over 'months of traffic chaos'

The authority agreed to proceed with nine CPZs: Headington Quarry, Cowley Centre West, Cowley Marsh, Waterways, Hollow Way North, Lamarsh Road, Cowley Centre East, New Marston and Sandhills.

A further three could be introduced at a later date - Hollow Way South, Florence Park and Temple Cowley.

Proposed CPZs in Donnington, Barton East and West, Risinghurst and Littlemore North were shelved at least for a while, due to a lack of support and no apparent issues with commuter parking.

The cost of implementing the nine CPZs was set at £433,700.

Oxfordshire County Council said the restrictions are helping to tackle congestion and improve air quality.

Spokesman Martin Crabtree said: “These zones restrict the availability of commuter parking in residential streets and encourage commuters to find alternative means of transport both into and within the city.

“They also ensure that cars are not parked in inappropriate or unsafe places, thereby contributing to road safety and improvements to the street environment.

“Supported by public transport, walking and cycling improvements, they are an essential tool in managing traffic levels and thereby reducing the effects of traffic congestion.”

To respond to the consultation and for more details see here.

List of roads that would be in the Cowley Marsh zone:

Barracks Lane Cumberland Road Howard Street Reliance Way

Belvedere Road Don Stuart Place Kenilworth Avenue Ridgefield Road

Bhandari Close Drove Acre Road Leys Place Saunders Road

Catwell Close Gillians Way Milton Road Shelley Road

Cricket Road Glanville Road Morris Crescent Westfield Close

Whitson Place