Category: travel

MOTORISTS in Thame and the rest of South Oxfordshire are set to receive a welcome boost this month, thanks to the introduction of free parking on Saturday afternoons in all district council car parks.

Starting on Saturday April 14,, parking will be free to everyone on Saturday afternoons (from either 2pm or 3pm, depending on the car park), in addition to any free period currently offered. This means that people will be free to explore the local shops or enjoy an extended afternoon meal without having to worry about the cost of parking.

The introduction of free Saturday afternoon parking is designed to encourage people to spend more time in South Oxfordshire towns on Saturday afternoons, exploring the local sites and shops, and boosting local trade in the process.

The new parking initiative is in line with Mary Portas’ recent review into the future of our high streets, which recommended that local areas should use parking schemes to help boost high street trade.

New Saturday afternoon free period will start at 2pm in both the Thame Cattlemarket and the Southern Road (behind the Co-Op) car parks.

The free Saturday afternoon parking initiative is in addition to the newly introduced half price car park season tickets for those working in the district. The scheme, which launched on April 1, has already proved popular with dozens already signed up for cheaper season tickets.

People are asked to check the individual car park tariff and signage for more information. For more information about parking in South Oxfordshire visit www.southoxon.gov.uk/parking

Cllr Judith Nimmo-Smith, Cabinet Member for Economy, Property and Technical services, said: ?Free parking on Saturday afternoons will give traders a real boost at a time of the week when trade typically tails off after lunch. We encourage everyone to take advantage of being able to park for free, on Saturday afternoons, and to use this time to explore their local town and discover the range of shops, galleries, restaurants and other amenities on offer.?

INFORMATION from operator re next week’s closure in Chinnor Road, TOWERSEY (Mon 26th and Tues 27th).

Arriva services 40 and 120 will be unable to serve Towersey village for both days, running instead via Chinnor Road and then Thame by-pass.

However, Arriva service 123 will divert via Kingsey Road, Windmill Road, Thame Road and Towersey Road, therefore serving the bus stop in Thame Road in Towersey just after the junction with Windmill Road. Service 123 will not be serving the main stop in Towersey Village near the crossroads.

OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL – ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 ? Section 14(1)- Notice of Temporary Traffic Order Towersey, Chinnor Road – Prohibition of Through Traffic and Waiting; Date of Order: 19 March 2012 – Coming into force: 26 March 2012

This Order is being introduced because of electricity connection works in part of Chinnor Road which is
anticipated to take 2 days to complete.
The effect of the Order is to prohibit any vehicle from proceeding or waiting, when the appropriate traffic signs are displayed, in that part of Chinnor Road southwards from a point 170 metres south of its junction with Thame Road for a distance of 150 metres.

Exemptions are included for police, fire and ambulance services and for the works and for vehicular access to
adjacent premises which are only accessible from the closed section of road. The alternative route is via Thame Road, Towersey Road and B4012 & vice versa.

This Order will remain in force for a maximum period of eighteen months or until the works have been completed
whichever is the sooner.

Traffic Regulation Team (Ref.CJL) on behalf of the Director for Environment & Economy, Speedwell House,
Oxford, OX1 1NE. Tel 0845 310 11 11.
[Note: The Parish Council have been trying to find out the effect on the bus services without success at the time of
publication ? Ed]

BUS TIMETABLES Arriva has recently issued a new timetable for the 280 bus (from Aylesbury to Oxford via Thame) with small changes to the times of buses before 9am and after 3.30pm.

Timetable here: http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/serviceInformation.aspx?id=12505

ACCIDENT CLEARED – ROAD NOW RE-OPENED – 02.20 HRS
THE A329, Rycote Lane, Thame, is currently closed both ways between A418 and A40 London Road.

A car has apparently crashed into a house. More later.

MOTORISTS in Thame and other towns in South Oxfordshire could see the price of their parking season tickets slashed.

Under plans going to cabinet on Monday, February 13, season tickets for South Oxfordshire District Council car parks in Thame, Didcot, Goring, Henley and Wallingford will be available for half-price from April 1, 2012 for those working in the district. Also, parking on Saturday afternoons from 2pm will be free all year round.

The offer means that, for instance, someone working in Thame who parks in the Cattlemarket car park will pay

AND THREE PEOPLE were killed! Cut casualties this Christmas – Oxfordshire County Council?s Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to drive carefully over the festive period after three people were killed on the roads across the county in December last year and 169 were injured.

The Fire and Rescue Service?s Road Safety Team want to avoid a repeat of the high number of casualties, during one of the busiest times of the year for Oxfordshire roads.

The team is advising motorists to make sure they are prepared, plan their journey and ensure their car is ready to travel.

Mandy Rigault, Oxfordshire County Council?s Fire and Rescue Service Road Safety Team Leader, said: ?If you are travelling to family or friends to celebrate Christmas or New Year please allow extra time for your journey, drive for the conditions and don?t speed. Take regular breaks and if possible share the driving on long journeys.
?It is a very sociable time of year with parties and celebrations. If you are out partying don?t drink and drive, book a taxi, catch a bus or train, walk home, stay overnight or, if you?re out in a group, have a designated driver.?

DUE to unforeseen operational difficulties, the closure of Nelson Street has had to be postponed. Work will now start on 30 November 2011 and last for 10 days.

If you require further information or have any queries, contact Fred Fanyinka at Oxfordshire County Council on 01865 815262.

A Temporary Traffic Order will be be in place prohibiting through Traffic in Nelson Street from 30 November. The Order is being introduced because of carriageway maintenance works in Nelson Street.

A copy of the Order, with a map showing the location of the works, is available to view in the Information Centre in the Town Hall.

THAMES Valley Police attended a coach fire on the M40 near High Wycombe earlier this evening (7/10).

Officers were called at around 6.10pm to a report of a serious fire on a coach just before Junction 4 on the south-bound carriageway.

The coach, a chartered vehicle, was reported to be carrying approximately 40 students, all of whom safely disembarked, before being picked up by another coach and taken on to their destination.

The fire, which was at the back of the coach, was put out at around 7pm. The cause of the fire is not known at this time.

While one lane of the carriageway has now been re-opened, it is anticipated that the other two lanes will remain closed until 10pm while agencies clear an oil and diesel spillage resulting from the fire.

OCTOBER: Tues 4th – Mon 10th, ROAD WORKS IN HADDENHAM: The long awaited work to resurface Tacks Lane/Fort End/Banks Rd (from the Rising Sun to the junction of Banks Rd with Stokes Croft) will be taking place. The road is due to be closed to through traffic from Tuesday 4th to Friday 7th of October or possibly till Monday 10th. A diversion will go via Thame Rd/Station Rd/Churchway and vice versa.

The 280 buses from Oxford will go to the station as normal but then back track to go down Station Road and up Churchway as far as the village hall crossroads where they will pick up the normal route along Woodways and past the Haddenham Medical Centre. Buses from Aylesbury will follow the same route in reverse.