How could Wantage's town centre be improved?
Packing up his van after selling out of burritos, trader Carl Condon says Wantage is a "brilliant" place to work. "We started off slow [as a business], but we're established now, so we can only see things getting busier."But he says he has noticed people struggling to park when the market takes over the square's car park on Wednesdays and Saturdays. "There are a few changes that could be made to improve footfall: mainly parking," he says. "A lot of people will circle the market trying to find somewhere to go".
On the West End of Market Place, which has been pedestrianised since the Covid pandemic, baristas Maisey Collins and Abbie Davis are taking a break from their shift."More restaurants and more bars [would be a good idea]," says Miss Collins. "If we go out for dinner or anything like that, we go out of town". Miss Davis says parking in the town is "a bit of a nightmare... I park at one of our regular at the cafe's flats."Otherwise it's about £7 to park for the day at work which is obscene on my salary... [you could] potentially make the Sainsbury's car park payable". Oxfordshire County Council says it wants to improve public transport access to the town, which Miss Davis says is needed."The buses take a very long time to get anywhere other than Wantage, so you're a bit stuck here unless you drive".
Oxfordshire County Council also says it's committed to exploring ways to make Market Place more accessible and "safer for those with mobility issues".Back on Market Place, mobility scooter user Gene Hicks says navigating the town centre was simple "once you know the places to go.""Sometimes, the cars park over the dropped kerbs and you can't get down. Apart from that, it's easy."
Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said the project was at an "early stage." "Our vision for Wantage Market Place is to create a vibrant, welcoming, and accessible space for everyone. "We aim to enhance the historical charm of the market town while addressing the challenges of climate change. "The project is at an early stage and a design is yet to be developed."The online survey closes on 22 July, and the council will hold two drop-in events on 5 and 9 July in the town. An initial design for Market Place is not expected to be revealed until Spring 2026.
You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
Vauxhall's new all-electric 800hp sports available for test drive in Gran Turismo 7
British brand Vauxhall is taking its all-electric GSE performance sub-brand to a new level, revealing the radical Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo – a fully electric concept car boasting 800hp, a 0-62mph time of just two seconds and a top speed of 199mph. The car, which premieres at the IAA Mobility show in Munich on 8 September, will also have a digital debut in PS5 racing sim Gran Turismo 7 this autumn, in what Vauxhall boldly calls a 'phygital' launch. 'The Vauxhall Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo takes the GSE sub-brand to the next level,' said Steve Catlin, managing director at Vauxhall. 'It not only shows what is possible on a small car platform, it also displays a clear view to the future.' At the core of the concept is a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive electric powertrain delivering a combined 800hp and 800Nm of torque. A boost function provides an additional 80hp for up to four seconds to aid overtaking on track. Vauxhall had hinted that the concept has an eye on racing, saying it 'will be very much at home on the racing track and offer a thrilling yet comfortable and safe driving experience'. The concept was created by Vauxhall's design team at the Opel headquarters in Germany, led by Brit Mark Adams, Vauxhall and Opel's Vice-President of Design. Adams has been heading up Vauxhall design for over two decades, and his team was also responsible for Vauxhall/Opel's last show car, the Vauxhall Experimental, which appeared at the Munich Motor Show in 2023. While that car was purely a concept previewing the latest design themes across Vauxhall's model range, this latest concept is taking that on further and could preview a production GSE model that we see sometime in 2026.
The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
Young graduates most likely to be wrong about student loan repayments
Nearly three in five young graduates wrongly believe they must start repaying their student loans as soon as they get any job, a report has suggested. A study, by the Policy Institute at King's College London (KCL), and the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) think tank, reveals a number of misunderstandings about universities – including tuition fees and student debt. The survey, of more than 2,000 adults in the UK in June, suggests that the public believes around 40% of graduates would not go to university if they could choose again. But the actual proportion who say this is only 8% – as measured in a survey last year, the report said. Many also misunderstand how student debt works, particularly young graduates themselves, it found. More than a third (35%) of the public wrongly think university graduates must start paying back their student loan as soon as they get any paid job, which rises to 58% among graduates aged 18 to 34. The report also suggests that the public underestimates higher education's contribution to the economy. Only 6% correctly ranked the University of Oxford as having the highest revenue out of a list of seven organisations – even though its income was more than £1 billion higher than Greggs (the second on the list). The study also found that 13% of the public believe that remaining in the UK to seek asylum is the most common outcome among overseas students who entered the country three years prior. But only 0.5% of international students do this, the report suggested. Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the policy institute at KCL, said the standout finding for him was the 'overestimation' of the sense of regret about going to university. 'This will be driven by vivid, individual stories of graduate regret and the generally negative background noise about the declining value of a degree,' he said. Prof Duffy: 'It's extremely difficult to first get public attention, and then cut through the noise of individual negative stories that are much more likely to stick in our minds.' Nick Hillman, director of the Hepi, said: 'Universities are bigger in terms of income and employment and more successful in terms of student outcomes than the public often recognise. 'However, it would be absurd to blame the voters for this major misunderstanding. 'Those of us who work in the higher education sector have not done a good enough job of telling people the true role of universities in modern Britain today. 'We should start correcting that record by inviting more people onto more campuses more often.' A spokesperson for Universities UK (UUK) said: 'Universities create new opportunities for millions, underpin the government's industrial strategy and supercharge the whole UK economy. 'They deserve to be celebrated as one of the UK's greatest success stories. In 2021-22, the sector contributed more than £265 billion to the economy. 'However, the results of the survey demonstrate that the sector and the Government must work better together to ensure that the public have the information they need to make informed choices about their future, including how student finance works, so more people see going to university as a realistic option.' A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'This report shows that we have a world class higher education sector that can deliver great outcomes for students, and university remains a fantastic option for people looking to get in-demand skills and get into a rewarding career. 'We have been clear that universities must deliver a high-quality experience and we are determined to support the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university – regardless of their background. 'We will soon publish our plans for reform as part of the Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy White Paper as we fix the foundations of higher education through our plan for change.'
The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
Last batch of rare final Queen Elizabeth II £1 coins entering circulation
The final batch of Queen Elizabeth II £1 coins are entering circulation across the UK, the Royal Mint has announced. More than 23 million Queen coins are being released alongside 7.5 million new King Charles III £1 coins. The Royal Mint said the last of the Elizabeth II coins, dated 2022, are the rarest £1 coins in active circulation. The historic transition – with the dual release of almost 31 million coins – represents a significant moment for UK coinage, as the nation witnesses the changeover from Britain's longest-reigning monarch to her son and heir on the £1 denomination, the Royal Mint said. The Queen's £1 coins will be the final ones bearing Elizabeth II's portrait to enter circulation. Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, said: 'This release represents a pivotal moment in British coinage history. 'As we release more of the King Charles III £1 coins into circulation alongside the final coins of Queen Elizabeth II, we're witnessing the physical representation of our monarchy's transition. 'This dual release creates an exceptional opportunity for both seasoned numismatists and those new to coin collecting.' The Royal Mint is encouraging the public to check its change over the coming weeks, as the new coins begin to appear in pockets and tills across the nation. Ms Morgan added: 'Finding these new coins in your change could spark a rewarding hobby that connects you with the heritage, history and craftsmanship behind British currency.' Since the introduction of the King's effigy on UK coinage in 2023, the 50p and £1 are the only denominations with Charles's portrait to have entered circulation so far. The King's £1 coins feature an intricate bee design on the reverse and are part of the Definitive collection, inspired by the flora and fauna of the British Isles. Some 2.975 million £1s with the King's effigy were released in August last year. In total, there are around 24.7 billion coins in circulation across the UK, with the King's coins representing only around 0.004% of those, making his new coins highly desirable to collectors. All UK coins bearing the Queen's portrait will remain legal tender and in active circulation to allow a smooth transition and minimise the environmental impact and cost.
