Charlbury Station parking charges

Thu 1 Sep 2016, 19:42

Helen,

I really don't see why it should be necessary for me to post the content of my correspondence with Claire King here - unless you don't believe me, or Claire, about the 20-minute grace period. As I said, if people are having problems with Apcoa over penalty notices issued at Charlbury, then please contact GWR, so that they can do something about the actions of their contractor.

Christine, the parking charges at Charlbury are just the same as at Kingham, Moreton-in-Marsh and Evesham stations.

I believe the lower figure at Hanborough was set partly to attract custom when what was then seen as a large extension (191 spaces) opened in 2013 - though this is now about to be further extended, such is the demand for spaces - and with an eye to competing with Oxford Parkway when it opened.

In the case of Oxford Parkway, Chiltern's parking charges are tied to the station's location next to the Water Eaton bus park-and-ride site's car park, which the county council did not want to see filled by rail passengers.

Those spaces for bus users would have been very attractive had Chiltern levied their usual parking rates in the station spaces. Passengers at Banbury, both Bicester stations and Haddenham & Thame Parkway pay £7 to park in the peak, with the off-peak fee £4.50.

I can assure you that passengers using Bicester North and Bicester Village are pretty angry about what they are asked to pay by comparison with Oxford Parkway. But even they save some money compared with Warwick Parkway, where Chiltern charges £7.50 in the peak and £5 off-peak, while at Rugby, Virgin changes £9 in the peak.

So I'd suggest it is rather unfair to describe GWR's charges at Cotswold Line stations as high. And at Kingham, unless people with mobility problems can manage steps on the footbridge, the Oxford and London-bound platform is out of bounds, as there are no ramps or lifts - something that the CLPG and local residents have been trying to secure for some years now.

If I hear any more from Claire King about GWR's talks with Apcoa, or any changes to the grace period, I will post something here. As I'm sure many of you are aware, GWR is also looking at options to provide more parking spaces at Charlbury, so again, if there is any information on progress, the CLPG will aim to let people know.

PS: Jon, re Chiltern trains 'run on time'. Not all the time, they don't. Yesterday, there were signalling problems between Bicester and Oxford, with a succession of trains from Marylebone in the evening arriving late at Oxford, while on Tuesday services were delayed or cancelled for much of the morning after someone was hit by a train near Bicester North station just after 8pm.

The last train to Charlbury from Paddington on Fridays is at 23.18 (Oxford 00.37). If this service is well used, then GWR could extend its operation to other days of the week, but if you use Oxford Parkway, how will they know that demand exists for later trains on the Cotswold Line?