Oxpens car park, run by Oxford City Council, will close temporarily from 16 May 2022, so the disused car park decking can be dismantled.
The closure is expected to last for 13 weeks.
Parking will become available again once the decking is removed and until the site is needed for redevelopment.
The temporary closure of Oxpens car park also means that the on-site public toilets will also be closed for this period. Oxford Ice Rink will remain open.
Oxford City Council’s Cabinet made to decision to remove the decking on 22 January this year.
Once dismantled, the recoverable steel will be sold.
Alternative car parking
There is plenty of parking capacity elsewhere in the city. However, the City Council wants to encourage using buses and particularly the five “Park and Rides”, as a more affordable and sustainable alternative to city-centre parking to avoid traffic congestion.
The five Park and Ride sites that serve Oxford city centre.
- Oxford Parkway (north). For satnav, use OX2 8HA. Take the Stagecoach 7 bus to and from the city centre.
- Pear Tree (north). For satnav, use OX2 8JZ. Take the 300 bus to and from the city centre.
- Redbridge (south). For satnav, use OX1 4XG. Take the 300 bus to and from the city centre.
- Thornhill (east). For satnav, use OX3 8DP. Take the 400 bus to and from the city centre.
- Seacourt (west). For satnav, use OX2 0HP. Take the 400 bus to and from the city centre.
A list of alternative car parks, is available on the Oxford City Council website.
Oxpens car park is set to become part of the Oxpens development, one of the most significant development opportunities in the city centre.
Councillor Tom Hayes, Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford at Oxford City Council, said: “The steel frame decking was built in 2014 as a temporary replacement car park for use during the Westgate works.
“The top deck of the car park has been closed since January 2019. Planning permission for the car park decking has expired and so the structure will be dismantled and removed from its current location.
“To avoid city centre congestion we are encouraging drivers to use the five park and rides that provide a convenient and cost effective route into the city centre.”
