Eynsham Park and Ride

Eynsham Park and Ride

Project Failure and Delay Report

Oxfordshire County Council • June 2026

Executive Summary

The Eynsham Park and Ride facility is an 850-space car park on the A40 eastbound near Eynsham, intended to reduce congestion and support improved bus services to Oxford. Completed in early 2024, the site has remained unused for over two years due to the absence of a connecting road to the A40 — a major planning and funding failure.

Key Timeline

Costs

• Main Car Park Construction: £32 million (DfT ring-fenced grant — delivered on time and budget)
• Media-reported project value: £51 million
• A40 Connection & Improvements Contract: ~£70 million
• Monthly maintenance & security (while empty): £9,531.50 (security, lighting, fencing — covered under existing contract)

Major Failures

• Building the car park without securing and delivering the access road simultaneously.
• Cost pressures from inflation leading to project decoupling and multi-year delays.
• Rejection of temporary uses for the completed site.
• Poor inter-council coordination on transport infrastructure linked to major housing developments.

Councils & Political Responsibility

Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) — Primary responsibility for transport infrastructure and delivery. Liberal Democrats hold overall control following the 2025 elections.

West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) — Involved in local planning and strategic housing growth that the P&R was intended to support.

Key People

• Cllr Dan Levy (Liberal Democrats) — Cabinet Member for Finance; has publicly described the situation as "embarrassing" while overseeing recent progress.
• Cllr Duncan Enright — Cabinet Member involved in transport and development strategy.

Conclusion

This project represents a significant and costly failure in project planning and execution. While the core facility was built efficiently, the lack of integrated delivery has wasted public funds on prolonged mothballing. With connection works now advancing, residents can expect the park and ride to finally become operational in 2027.

Report compiled from public sources including Oxfordshire County Council, BBC, Oxford Mail, and other local media (June 2026).