County Council to push ahead with P&R scheme despite public concerns
15th July 2015
Despite public concerns about the suitability of proposed P&R sites in the Green Belt, the County Council wants to push ahead with the scheme.
Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) has published its summary of the responses to the consultation on the draft Local Transport Plan.
The consultation revealed that most people want the plans to relocate P&Rs in the Green Belt ‘abandoned’, yet OCC has concluded that there was ‘general support for outer sites’, while acknowledging that there might be scope for the continued use of the existing sites.
CPRE is concerned at OCC’s apparent disregard for the results of the consultation.
The public should feel genuinely alarmed at the OCC’s seeming twisting of the facts.
CPRE Oxfordshire is also disturbed that the County Council is recommending that its proposal for an outer ring of Park & Ride sites in the Green Belt is ‘the right one’, when it has simultaneously accepted that ‘more detailed work is required on site suitability’.
If the suitability of the sites has not been firmly and robustly established, how can OCC be of the view that the strategy for an outer ring of sites is the right one?
Surely this is a case of putting the cart before the horse?
OCC has committed to commissioning a study ‘to look at the best options for the long-term future of P&R in Oxfordshire and how this will be developed alongside reconsideration of the role of existing sites’.
The County Council Cabinet is to decide whether or not to accept the proposals as outlined in the draft Local Transport Plan on Tuesday 21 July at 2.00 pm, Meeting Rooms 1&2, County Hall, Oxford, OX1 1ND.
The Cabinet papers which contain the recommendations on the Transport Plan (Item 8 deals with P&Rs) are now available.
What you can do?
Members of the public can address or submit a written petition to the Cabinet meeting, but there is no opportunity to ask questions. Anyone wishing to do so must give notice by at least 9 a.m. the day before the meeting.
Find out how to address the meeting.
The contact person for the Cabinet meeting is: Sue Whitehead.
Find out more:
See: CPRE Oxon Press Release ‘No environmental case for £79 million ‘remote’ Park & Rides‘ issued on 9 July.
See: CPRE Oxon response to consultation on draft Local Transport Plan, 1 April.
CPRE Oxfordshire, 15th July