An expensive park and ride facility that cost Oxfordshire County Council a staggering £32 million has sat completely unused for over two years, with no immediate plans for activation. The primary reason for this astonishing waste of public funds is a simple yet critical oversight: the site lacks any connection to the road network, rendering it inaccessible to both vehicles and buses.
Completed but Inaccessible
The 850-space car park in Eynsham, located just off the busy A40 corridor, was fully constructed and finished in January 2024. Despite this completion, aerial photographs taken recently reveal the site remains entirely vacant and deserted. Local residents have expressed significant frustration and anger, complaining bitterly about the facility staying shut while the cash-strapped council scrambles to find additional funding to build the necessary access roads.
Mounting Costs and Delays
Original plans for this park and ride included a new roundabout to facilitate easy access from both directions along the A40. However, those plans have been severely delayed. Oxfordshire County Council has now confirmed that the first buses and cars are not expected to use the facility until early 2027, marking a substantial postponement from its completion date.
In a revelation that has further incensed taxpayers, it was disclosed in September that the council is spending £9,531.50 every single month on security costs, lighting, and fencing for the unused site. This ongoing expenditure adds to the already colossal financial burden.
Total Project Cost Skyrockets
The financial implications of this project have ballooned far beyond initial estimates. A further £19 million has been allocated specifically for the park and ride connection to the Wolvercote route. This allocation pushes the total project cost to an eye-watering £51 million, a figure that includes the £32 million spent on the park and ride construction itself.
The funds originate from the Science Transit (ST2) scheme, which encompasses both the park and ride and an eastbound bus lane. This scheme is financed from a variety of sources, including government grants and local funding.
High-Profile Criticism
The debacle has not gone unnoticed by prominent local figures. Former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson, who resides in nearby Chipping Norton, has publicly lambasted the council's handling of the project. Clarkson pointed out the absurdity of building a "snazzy" facility with 850 spaces, electric vehicle charging points, and sheltered areas for commuters, only to leave it completely inaccessible because it lacks a connection to the road network.
He described the site as a "gigantic blot on the landscape" that cannot be used for parking or riding, as neither buses nor cars can actually enter it.
Council's Defence and Future Plans
In response to the growing criticism, Oxfordshire County Council has defended the project, stating that the Eynsham park and ride will become a "wonderful asset once it is in operation." A council spokesman emphasised that it will provide people with more travel choices on the heavily congested route between Oxford and Witney, potentially cutting up to a third of peak traffic in each direction.
The spokesman explained that construction and landscaping are complete, but the site cannot commence operations until the connection to the A40 is established. This connection is part of the first phase of a separate A40 improvements scheme, which is now scheduled for completion by early 2027, pending planning approvals.
Root Causes of the Delay
The council has attributed the significant delays to severe cost pressures driven by high inflation, which impacted their ability to deliver the wider A40 improvements programme within the original budget. These pressures emerged in late 2022.
To avoid further cost inflation, the council made the controversial decision not to delay the construction of the park and ride itself, as it had a ring-fenced budget separate from the road improvement programme. This decision has resulted in the current situation: a fully built, state-of-the-art facility standing idle.
Securing Future Funding
There is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. The council has announced that funding has now been secured from Homes England for the A40 Eynsham Park and Ride to Wolvercote scheme. This funding is intended to finally connect the site to the A40, provide new bus lanes, and improve active travel infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.
All major construction work at the park and ride, including the installation of cycle parking and electric vehicle charging points, was finished in January 2024. The council now faces the challenge of justifying the prolonged wait and the millions spent on an asset that remains, for now, utterly useless to the commuting public.
