The Unused Park and Ride: A £32 Million Investment Left Idle
A park and ride facility that cost a local council £32 million has remained unused for two years, leaving many puzzled about the situation. Located in Eynsham, this 850-space car park was completed in January 2024, but it is still not connected to the road network. As a result, it remains completely inaccessible, with no buses or cars able to reach it.
The facility was originally planned to be part of a larger scheme that included a new roundabout to improve access from either direction. However, despite the construction being complete, the site has remained unoccupied. Recent aerial photographs show the area still empty, with the first buses and cars not expected to arrive until 2027.
Oxfordshire County Council confirmed that although the construction is finished, the park and ride will not be operational until next year. In September, it was revealed that the council was spending £9,531.50 every month on security costs, lighting, and fencing for the site. Additionally, £19 million was allocated for the park and ride to Wolvercote route, bringing the total cost up to £51 million.
Jeremy Clarkson, the former host of Top Gear, who lives in nearby Chipping Norton, commented on the situation. He said:
“Near to where I live, the local council, which gets a quarter of its cash from the Government, decided to spend £51m on a new park and ride facility next to the busy A40. It was completed last year, and it’s very snazzy with 850 spaces, charging points for electrical cars, and attractive spaces where commuters can shelter from the rain. Lovely. Apart from one small thing. It’s not connected to the road network. Seriously, there’s no way anyone can access it, so it’s sitting there now, a gigantic blot on the landscape, and it cannot be used for parking or riding because neither a bus nor a car can get into it.”
The Council’s Response
Oxfordshire County Council has stated that the Eynsham park and ride will be a “wonderful asset once it is in operation.” It added that the facility will “give people more travel choices on a very busy route between Oxford and Witney.” A spokesman explained that while construction and landscaping are complete, the site cannot start operating until the connection to the A40 is in place.
“The first phase of the separate A40 improvements scheme will provide the connection needed to enable the park and ride to be used by early 2027, subject to planning,” the council said.
Originally, the park and ride and the A40 improvements were planned to be delivered together. However, in late 2022, cost pressures driven by high inflation affected the council’s ability to deliver the wider improvements programme within the available budget.
To avoid further cost inflation, the council chose not to delay the construction of the park and ride, which had a ring-fenced budget separate from the improvements programme. It has since secured funding from Homes England for the A40 Eynsham Park and Ride to Wolvercote scheme. This funding will connect the site to the A40, provide new bus lanes, and improve active travel infrastructure.
The Impact and Future Plans
The park and ride construction itself has cost £32 million. This came from the £51 million allocated for the Science Transit (ST2) scheme, which includes the park and ride and the eastbound bus lane. The scheme is funded from a variety of sources.
All major construction work at the park and ride, which will include cycle parking and electric vehicle charging points, was completed in January 2024. The council previously claimed the facility has the capacity to cut up to a third of the peak traffic traveling in each direction on the heavily congested A40 between Witney and Oxford.
Despite the delays, the council remains optimistic about the future of the park and ride. Once the road connection is in place, it is expected to significantly ease congestion on the A40 and provide a valuable transportation option for commuters.
