Private traffic wardens in Thame unlikely any time soon

AFTER the much heralded prospect of the removal of police controlled Traffic Wardens in towns in South Oxfordshire during 2008, it now seems that the introduction of private wardens is not now likely – at least for a while.

According to a report from Thame Town Council’s Traffic and Transportation Working Group, no date “in the foreseeable future” has been set by the district council, because it is not seen as a priority at this time, “because of the amalgamation of SODC and Vale of White Horse DC.”

Decriminilisation is due to start in West Oxfordshire in October this year, 2009, and is expected to take place in the Cherwell District Council area in October 2010.

The prospect of so-called ‘Decriminilisation’ of parking has been cited by Thame Town council and South Oxfordshire District Council for a lack of progress in resolving the thorny issue of residents’ parking in the town centre.

That there is insufficient parking for people who live in the town centre, came out of a survey carried out by 21st Century Thame three years ago. Since then, residents have lobbied the town council and a survey was carried out by a private company in 2007, at the behest of the town council, but no action on the findings has been taken to date.

NB It was suggested some time ago by the then Chief Executive of SODC, David Buckle, that the new Community Wardens, expected to be introduced in April 2008 in Thame, may have eventually take over parking enforcement, but they have failed to materialise.