Too many cars parked at the bottom of Nine Acres.

Mon 16 Nov 2015, 17:47

Standing looking at the bus stops in Frideswide Square. The bus stop lines have not yet been painted so it is unlikely that the bus stop areas can yet be defined as too small.

Mon 16 Nov 2015, 15:19

I have asked the question of the planning department and will let you know when I hear back, Romaine

Mon 16 Nov 2015, 11:56

Generally Network Rail doesn't have to seek planning permission for most things - they have "permitted development rights".

Mon 16 Nov 2015, 07:50

Ps Did Network Rail seek planning permission for the blue sign at the train station roundabout?

Sun 15 Nov 2015, 21:19

Having been a resident of the Churchill Hospital for a few days ( time to post ) , one thing that is apparent to the staff that cared for me , a large number of them travel long distances to work . The lady who operates the MRI machine for instance, she drives from Birmingham each day. Unable to do her shifts and use public transport , as well has being cost prohibitive does not have a space to park her car . She tells the story of the re development of this site is ongoing , but due to the policy of the local authority and the council, they will not approve plans for car parks . Patients and visitors do not have enough parking space and are often late for appointments due to the inability to find a space. This is duplicated with a large proportion of the staff. So, obviously the policy is wrong. We need to work to demand , not ideals .

Sun 15 Nov 2015, 20:40

Ha ha ha! The sad thing is that this kind of incompetence doesn't even surprise us any more! & if they have to dig it all up & re-do it, don't worry our taxes will pay for it! & probably for the completion bonus for the idiot that messed it up in the 1st place.

Sun 15 Nov 2015, 19:40

www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/14031241.Bus_drivers_claim_stop_bays_in_new_look_Frideswide_Square_are_too_tight/?ref=mr&lp=6
Got that wrong then !

Sun 15 Nov 2015, 17:29 (last edited on Sun 15 Nov 2015, 17:35)

Well its a pity that OCC's policy and actions don't match their platitudes or mealy mouthed words. Pure hypocrisy!
So that's why OCC are withdrawing support for rural communities like ours such as funding for public transport to force us all to walk to Oxford and Witney as there will be no buses. The train fares seem to be allowed to rise without any relationship to inflation or peoples ability to pay the meteoric annual rises.
Its OCC's anti car policy that forces many people to shop elsewhere in the county or further a field, they ought to get real you cant get the genie back in the bottle.

Sun 15 Nov 2015, 16:08

No need to duck Liz, most of what you say is bang-on I think. OK, so walking/ cycling may be more difficult for people in out-lying places like Charlbury to get to work, but there are so many unnecessary little puddle-hopping journeys by people to travel 500 yds simply to buy a pint of milk etc, it all makes congestion worse. Public Transport Buses/Trains could no doubt be run much better by proper experienced knowledgeable management, look at the Bullet Train in Japan, I read a article where if I remember correctly if it is ever any more than 30 seconds late arriving/departing a Station there is an enquiry into it, & somebody gets it between the eyes for allowing it to happen, that's the way to do it, because sadly there are so many people nowadays in Management positions that they should never be in, because a lot of them couldn't run a bath never mind a Company/ Business! Like I said in an earlier post, this countries roads/infrastructure simply cannot take the volume of cars on the roads now, never mind in 10-20 years time! Having driven Lorries for 2 Dutch companies in my career I have obviously spent a lot of time driving in Holland, there are 1000s of bikes over there that run happily/safely alongside vehicles with the proper cycle-lanes etc, but the population are taught from School age that everyone must co-operate on the roads & have respect for each other, I found it works well. Another thing I found in many years driving long-distance round Europe is the HGV driving ban at weekends from Saturday mid-day to Midnight Sunday/Monday (except Trucks carrying Dangerous Goods & Livestock/Animals & some perishable loads), I would vote for it, eases congestion at weekends & leaves the roads quieter for families to go for weekend breaks etc, if the rest of Europe can do these things then why can't we? Unimaginative/incompetent leadership in my opinion!

Sun 15 Nov 2015, 11:37

It is now widely accepted that providing for cars generates further car use, in other words it's counter-productive. OCC transport policies now state that they can no longer meet the demand for private motorised road transport and absolutely need to promote walking, cycling and public transport (which of course is difficult in constrained financial times). The re-design of Frideswide Square in Oxford has halved the space for cars and the traffic moves faster. It's friendlier to pedestrians and bikes and generally feels much more human. We could consider car clubs in Charlbury, reduced car parking, and making the roads cycle friendly. (I'm now ducking!)

Sat 14 Nov 2015, 10:32

I wonder how many people were aware that this was the case. We learn something new every day

Sat 14 Nov 2015, 10:25

Its already only 7 Acres since the houses in Enstone road were built in the 1930's but I agree with your suggestion

Sat 14 Nov 2015, 10:19

Re name 9 acres 8 and a half acres , = about 120 parking spaces . Problem solved.

Fri 13 Nov 2015, 22:38

You could pop to your neighbours for a tea bag. If you talk to them.

Fri 13 Nov 2015, 14:02

I agree with Chris. It is an absurd sign, yet sadly typical of the rail network. I also agree with Romaine; you're sitting in your house in Rushy Bank and realise you've run out of teabags/milk/buns. It's dark and it's drizzling. You're not going to walk up the hill to the Co-op you're going to drive. Adding to the congestion.

Fri 13 Nov 2015, 13:46

Mmmmmmm, too big? I think it is definately in danger of losing its identity & sence of community! But the population is definately out-growing the facilities available/necessary for that many people. And quite frankly, considering most people will arrive at a Train Station possibly 20 mins maximum before the train they wish to catch departs, & most people catch a particular train for a reason be it work/appointment etc, to put up a sign saying the nearest alternative is 17 miles away, through rush-hour traffic, is a pretty stupid thing to put on a sign! Knowing full well commuters are not going to do that, they will go for the nearest/cheapest alternative, & not give a monkey's who this inconveniences during their day in London or wherever!

Fri 13 Nov 2015, 12:50

Charlbury is getting too big perhaps!

Fri 13 Nov 2015, 11:12

The Town Council doesn't have the power to stagger building works, I'm afraid. It is one of many consultees for planning applications but no more than that - the decision is up to the DIstrict Council. I think the District Council could theoretically impose access conditions on a construction project - I've heard of it being done in London where truck access has been restricted to certain hours, to minimise the risk to vulnerable road users. But I'd be very surprised if WODC were to agree to it for comparatively small developments in Charlbury.

Fri 13 Nov 2015, 10:50

It seems parking is a problem that will only get worse. The station car park is normally full by Eight AM - Network Rail helpfully have a sign up saying if the car park is full the nearest alternative is Oxford, 17 miles away - leaving commuter, yes to ark in the town. But central Charlbury is also awash with very major house building projects right now, bringing armies of chaps in white vans which are double parked and cutting down massively on space. It might be an idea if the Town Council staggered these works for collective parking sanity, although I doubt they have the power. Even the Bell, normally quietly helpful about the land behind, has been threatening to clamp vehicles. I don't think its about bigger cars, just more of them. Grown up children need cars out here like their parents do. For what it is worth, I think we have to bite the bullett and get resident's parking.

Fri 13 Nov 2015, 10:19

Romaine' comment about the number of cars per house is also a problem not unique to Charlbury but UK wide. As house prices continue to charge ahead way out of the reach of the younger generation, more of our children are having to continue living at home, this is adding to the car problem, as you see more & more houses now with anything from 2-5 cars parked in the garden! Hate to sound cynical but it's hard not to be at times the way this Country is going, but how long will it be before the Government/Councils try putting a limit on the amount of cars allowed to be parked at a home, or find some way of charging for anything over 2 cars per house?

Fri 13 Nov 2015, 08:42 (last edited on Fri 13 Nov 2015, 12:05)

Concerning as it is, I think one will have to get used to the parking situation in Charlbury as it will only get worse with the new housing development approval. One would expect at least 2 cars per household so at least 40 or so extra cars will be popping up and down Dyers Hill to use the Charlbury facilities ( if they can find a space to park in the spend love car park) Obviously not all will be popping up at the same time but the congestion & road safety issues will be noticeable. I have accepted that a parking spot in my street (park st) is not always a given. It would appear Charlbury town centre is already struggling to cope with the current numbers of residents/visitors cars let alone the additional residents cars expected. I wonder if there is space to build another car park near the town?

Thu 12 Nov 2015, 23:10

Richard, a nice idea....but, the bus service in Charlbury .......not a good start.
I have looked a 3 destinations where I have to travel over the next 3 weeks ......too expensive by train. Times unsuitable unless an over night stay. Quicker , cheaper and less hassle with multiple changes and taxi fare the other end if by train
With regards to size of car. A 1980 ford Cortina, a average family car , for an average family in its day, against the current Ford Mondeo , is approx 10 % longer. Not steel bumpers now, but N Cap rated crash tested safety requirements to comply with I think does explain the reason for this small increase in size.
It is the number and not the size / increase in the size of the town population and more people need cars to go about their day to day business. Back in the good old days of 1980 s , many people were able to buy a home and bring up a family on a single income , not now , so working mothers need to get to work and go to the shops (that no longer exist in the town) , just for day to day living. The train is great if going to central London as a single person making the journey.

Thu 12 Nov 2015, 22:25

It may be worth noting that yesterday afternoon, two and a half parking spaces had been coned off in Market Street (on what authority I don't know), while for much of the time on weekdays in recent times there have often been between three and five large vans, similarly engaged in building projects, on street. So the current prblem isn't entirely a matter of Chelsea tractors or station commuters, though that may be part of it.

Thu 12 Nov 2015, 22:01

Charlbury Town Council, Thames Valley Police and Oxfordshire Highways are all very aware of the problem at the bottom of Nine Acres Lane - it has come up at council meetings every month for a while now.

Unfortunately, extending the yellow lines isn't as simple as you'd reasonably expect - it requires a Traffic Regulation Order, and that needs to be drafted, put out to consultation, advertised in the papers, etc. etc. The total cost, believe it or not, can run into five figures. Neither TVP nor OCC will pay a five-figure sum for one location and the Town Council doesn't have that sort of money going spare, especially given that 14 Charlbury community groups have applied to it for major funding this year.

So the intention is that OCC will group it together with a bunch of other schemes around the county, and put them all together in one Traffic Regulation Order. That means that the cost can be split between all the parishes and will come down to an affordable level. I believe this is also what happened when the yellow lines were put in on Dyers Hill. But the corollary is that it won't happen overnight.

Speaking personally, I think Chris is spot on - there are too many cars, and many of those cars are pretty big. Look back at pictures of Charlbury in the '80s and '90s and compare with today - cars have ballooned in size and it's not just down to airbags and other safety measures. Change begins at home: the first thing you can do is downsize your own car, and look to use buses, trains, bikes and Shanks's pony when you can. We did!

Thu 12 Nov 2015, 20:44

I then went back and picked my son up at 8pm, having dropped him off at 6.25pm and the main bulk of the cars had gone, so if there was a train coming in at that time I suspect some were parking there to avoid the station fees. When I did pick my son up at 8pm one chap walked up from the station and got into a Honda outside the Shed area so my suspicions may be correct.

Thu 12 Nov 2015, 20:42

Welcome to Market St.

Thu 12 Nov 2015, 20:17

I raised this very issue with the local constabulary when the yellow lines appeared. It transpires the markings are in line with the national guidelines and conform to accepted standards. Clearly the 'standards' need looking at because the situation which has been created at that junction is a recipe for disaster. Sooner or later there will be an accident. Sooner or later people will get hurt. I hope those responsible for the traffic measure at that junction will feel able to justify their decisions, perhaps in a coroner's court. Lobby now for a change before there are injuries or worse.

Thu 12 Nov 2015, 20:12

Chris, I agree. In the past few years and only from the day that started to charge for parking at the station ( sold as to pay for security ) this has been a continuous problem, first Church Lane , restrictions applied, moved the problems to Dyers Hill, when restrictions applied , the problem moves to Church Street and Market Street . The ripple effect has now moved to Nine Acres. It will continue .More land to the Station needs to be set aside for car parking , the subject of a few previous postings here, but little done to make future provision as this will only get worse.
Chris, as a lorry driver, are there any fines , or points applied to the licence for breaking the law on weight restrictions- you must be a man in the know on such issues- and sure you obey the limits

Thu 12 Nov 2015, 19:38

Sadly for the residents of Charlbury I think there will eventually be only one outcome from this. You can double yellow that stretch from the corner to the garage, but the commuters will just park elsewhere, until those areas are double yellowed too, until the car park at Spendlove is full all day with commuters cars so residents going about their daily business Co-op etc cannot park, they will then start parking in the Surgery car park too, when that goes they will start parking round Sturt/Ticknell etc, all down Dancers Hill, outside houses, anywhere there is a space, & they will block drives too in the desperation to catch the Train & follow the Rat-race! The outcome will be, the whole of Charlbury will be double-yellowed with resident parking only, so anyone without a driveway will have to buy a permit each year to park outside their own homes! Sorry, but it is happening all over the Country, I am a lorry driver & I see it everywhere, the simple truth is that there are too many cars on our roads, I give it 20 years & unless the Government do something the country will be at total grid-lock!

Thu 12 Nov 2015, 19:27

Email town council. I have. The more people how do will be good

Thu 12 Nov 2015, 18:59

Nightmare this evening just got back from dropping my son off at the Scout Hut. It is bad every morning can some yellow lines be put on that corner for a few yards up towards the garage?

Thu 12 Nov 2015, 17:56

I am concerned about the recent increase of parked cars near the junction at the bottom of Nine Acres. There is poor visibility if you coming up from Chipping g Norton or the from the Station and very rarely no spaces to pull in if traffic us approaching. It must be almost impossible to pull out of either the shed or Sullivan's Garage. This is a busy road and in my opinion an accident is waiting to happen.Can anything be done about this problem before something horrible happens please I can only assume that this increase of dangerously parked cars is because of commuters not wishing to pay the Stations' parking rates??