Fears are growing in the picturesque Oxfordshire market town of Wantage after plans to remove cars from its historic high street prompted warnings of a 'disaster' for shoppers and businesses. Oxfordshire County Council is consulting on proposals to pedestrianise Wantage Market Place, creating more space for markets, public events, seating and improved bus stops. If approved, the scheme could be introduced as early as 2027.
Loss of Parking and Delivery Restrictions
Around 20 short-stay parking spaces, including disabled bays, would disappear under the plans, while deliveries would only be allowed between midnight and 9am. The changes have sparked concern among residents and traders, who fear they could damage the town centre and force businesses to relocate.
Pam Clark, who has lived in Wantage for 66 years and is disabled, believes removing parking close to the shops would make visiting the town much harder. She said: 'I think it would be a disaster, we need parking near the shops. We have plenty of green spaces, we don't need this.'
Business Owners Voice Concerns
Business owners have also questioned how the proposed delivery restrictions would work in practice. Martin Gillott, who runs Wantage Motorist Centre, said suppliers would struggle to meet the new delivery window. He said: 'For me, they leave Reading at 9am so they can't be at my shop for 9am. It would mean I would have to close or go somewhere else…there would be no other choice.'
Richard Shepherd, president of Wantage Chamber of Commerce, said four businesses had already told him they could leave the town if the proposals go ahead. 'It could be the last straw - businesses are already facing lots of challenges,' he said.
Council and Town Council Positions
Wantage Town Council said it supports improvements to the Market Place but has raised concerns about the loss of disabled parking, changes to bus routes and the impact the plans could have on deliveries. Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for transport, said the authority wanted to hear from residents before any final decisions were made. He said: 'I want to listen to the feedback we get before designs are further developed. We want to invest in the Market Place to make it accessible but there's clearly a lively debate going on.'
The public consultation closes on Wednesday, after which the council will consider the feedback before deciding whether to move forward with the scheme.
