Parking in Oxford

[lolawasashowgirl]

Apols for the slightly boring query but can any of you lovely lot recommend somewhere to park near the Story Museum in Oxford this Saturday lunchtime? We’d rather not use the Park and Ride on this occasion as we’re travelling down from Sheffield and then travelling on to Hampshire afterwards so it’ll be a long day 😊

The Westgate shipping centre car park is very close. It's not cheap but nowhere in a in Oxford.

The Westgate is certainly the cheapest for central Oxford. The queues can get pretty significant though so better if you can get there early.

My brother wondered if we'd be getting the deeds to a parking space where we parked in Oxford, the amount it cost 🤣 It was something like £20 for a few hours.

The park and ride scheme was very good though.

You might find the park and ride is actually quicker and less stressful (not to mention cheaper), than city centre parking on a nice Saturday

We went to a different museum and used a website where you can park on somebody's drive for a reasonable price and it was v central too

Parking in central Oxford is a fucking nightmare and has been for over 20 years. You can spend half your day queuing round the one way system for the Westgate parking.
I sometimes use Oxford Station (very expensive) or the Oxpens, (assuming it's still there) but realistically Park and Ride is the only sensible option in the week.

I used to park in the Norham Gardens gardens (used to be free after 1.00 on a Saturday in certain places but don't know if it still is...)

Spare yourself the stress and use the park and ride it will be quicker and cheaper. I lived in the city and then in towns outside the city for 20 years and I very rarely drove into the centre after I realised the park and ride was actually quicker.

The park and ride is much easier than trying to get into the city centre to park. It saves about 30 mins of sitting in traffic.

Park and ride will honestly be your best bet. Relatives coming from Yorkshire found it v convenient when attending dd’s central Oxford wedding.

Used to live in Oxford & still visit (sometimes as a stop off on long journeys like yours) and would honestly still go with the P & R, esp on a summer Sat on a bank hol weekend.

Oxford centre parking is chock a block at weekends after 10.30 am - long queues to get into the Westgate. You could park at Oxford Parkway train station & get the bus in, it’s quite cheap.

I think you should accept using the Park and Ride.

Have to agree. The time spent sat in traffic getting into the centre is far longer than the 15 minutes on the Park & Ride bus.

Have to agree with the Park and Ride people. We need to park near a particular Oxford college, which is reasonably central, and we only drive right into the city for dropping off/picking up, or if we're passing through and only staying a very short time. And even then it's marginal.

Park and ride.
The parking in central Oxford is a nightmare.

You'll be lucky getting into the Westgate around lunchtime and on street parking, if you can find it, costs a fortune and on a lot of streets is limited to a short time. I paid around £6 for an hour the other month!
Honestly, the park and rides are not stressful, the buses run regularly and are nice. Coming from the north, you are probably best going to one of the park and rides on the north side of the city (probably Water Eaton/Oxford Parkway) or staying on the M40 a bit longer and going to Thornhill on the east side. Try and avoid driving around the city ring road/bypass as the traffic can be terrible there too.... It is not a city for driving if you can possibly avoid it.

Agree with everyone else, parking in Oxford is a nightmare at weekends.

I would recommend the Park & Ride at Botley - it is just off the A34 so will be convenient coming from the north and for your onward journey to the south. It is also the closest to the centre (I think) with only a c10mins bus journey in - it's also walkable in c20mins although not that pleasant a walk.

If you really want to park in the centre then if you only need up to 2 hours I would recommend trying the on street parking on St Giles - it is v expensive but you can sometimes get a spot. Otherwise try the on street parking on the roads around Norham Gardens - but a lot of it is residents only (don't risk it - Oxford parking wardens are v v vigilant...) - you have to read the signs v carefully.

If you need more than 2 hours then I would try Gloucester Green car park or Worcester Street car park before the Westgate - and the earlier you can get there the better chance of finding somewhere.

This really is going to be a crazy day does it have to be central oxford???

If so yes park and ride is the best option so allow a lot of time!

On street parking Norham Gardens is either £££ or (the free stuff) limited to 2/3 hours, and 30 mins walk from the Story Museum.
Park & ride is the least worst option.

Thanks so much to everyone for your responses - much appreciated 😊 I love how you can get advice and information about anything on here! Looks like park and ride is deffo the best option for a number of reasons. Thanks again ❤️

Well think it's all been said but I have on occasion dropped OH off at Oxford Parkway and it's taken an hour to get to the Westgate

I travelled to Oxford from the North West a few weeks ago and used the Pear Tree park and ride, it was just off the A34 and very quick to get into the city centre. It took longer to get back out again because of the rush hour traffic (5.15 on a weekday) but still not long. Also the P&R is next to a small service station, which is handy for picking up drinks and snacks for the onward journey

@tuliptimeishere you can walk in from Seacourt through Hinksey meadows at the back of Wickes. It is a lovely walk into Oxford!

What about parking at Oxford Parkway and catching the train in to the main station in the city? Would be quicker than the bus.