The Committee considered a report (TDC8) setting out details of a scheme to tackle capacity issues at Thornhill Park & Ride.
Nicholas Lawrence welcomed the proposal but called for further landscaping work. He supported introduction of a charging regime for London bus operators and suggested that Thornhill park & ride should replace Gloucester Green bus station, although it would be imperative that London buses continued to serve the City Centre with High Street made one-way.
Graham Jones also welcomed the expansion which would support the local economy and aid London commuters. He was also concerned at the number of buses using High Street and called for provision of additional out of town park & ride facilities.
Councillor David Turner supported the proposal which would aid the Oxford commuter although he understood that the facility was used for parking by local office staff, which was not the primary purpose of the site. He suggested consideration be given to using park & rides as off peak hubs for rural transport and that any further development should include porous surfaces and provision of electric charge points.
Councillor Hudspeth referred to the benefits of reducing traffic levels through the South Oxfordshire District Council region and Councillor Rose issued a note of caution regarding unrealistic expectation for the provision of further park & ride facilities due to funding.
RESOLVED: to
(a) authorise officers to proceed with making a planning application to expand Thornhill P&R to the east of the current site, increasing the capacity of the site to 1400 spaces as outlined in Annex 3 to the report TDC8;
(b) authorise officers to proceed with negotiations to agree an extension to the current lease arrangement with Shotover Estate;
(c) authorise officers to proceed with designing and specifying a charging regime, targeted at London and airport bound use, to form part of the planning application; and
(d) delegate approval for the mechanism of the charging regime to the Head of Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Growth & Infrastructure.