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Ms Smith, who is a Labour city councillor, said she was "astonished" by the county council's response after raising the issue of lack of access to the station. She said she was told by a council officer that drivers would be able to drop passengers off "very close" to the station without incurring a charge. "It's typical of incompetent Oxfordshire County Council to be severing transport connections and making life harder for people going about their daily business," she said. Mr Gant disagreed, saying that alternative options for people to access the station had been "significantly enhanced" as a direct result of the new charge. He said people driving into the city to "park all day and catch a train has negative consequences for the rest of the city". "We want commuters and others to have good quality alternatives." The charge's permit scheme, which offers certain motorists to pass through points without facing the fee, meant many could still access the station without facing the fee, Mr Gant added.
