Parking penalties

We provide free parking in all of our car parks but parking restrictions are necessary to keep traffic flowing and enable people to park conveniently. Our civil enforcement officers, known as community wardens, monitor the use of our car parks and streets to ensure that motorists comply with regulations.

Penalty charge notices are for £50, or £70 for more serious contraventions - reduced by 50% if paid within 14 days.

Any surplus funds from penalty notices will be spent on local road and traffic management, instead of being paid directly to government.

Pay a penalty charge

Online:

Online Payment Service

By phone:

Call our automated payment service on 0845 6012584 with your debit or credit card details.

By person:

Town Centre Shop, Welch Way, Witney
The Guildhall, Goddards Lane, Chipping Norton
(Cheque, debit or credit card only)

By post:

Cheques and postal orders are payable to 'West Oxfordshire District Council'.
Please write the penalty charge notice number or your vehicle registration number on the back and send to:
West Oxfordshire District Council
Town Centre Shop
3 Welch Way
Witney OX28 6JH

Appealing a penalty charge notice

The appeal procedure is generally called an Informal Challenge. You may appeal against a penalty charge notice in writing to our neighbourhood services team:

Email the neighbourhood services team
Download our appeal form and return it to:
Neighbourhood services team, West Oxfordshire District Council, Elmfield, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX28 1NB

If you are submitting documents in support of your appeal, such as a Disabled blue badge, it is advisable to send us a photocopy of the original (both sides).

Further details on how to appeal can be found on the back of the penalty charge notice. Alternatively, visit the 'pay it or challenge it' pages of the PATROL website.

If the penalty charge is ignored

If no payment or informal challenge is received, the cost of the unpaid penalty charge notice will double in value to the full amount as stated on the ticket. If the penalty charge is completely ignored a further 50% will be added and the debt is registered with the Traffic Enforcement Centre. At this stage there are limited appeal rights.

If the penalty charge remains unpaid then we could appoint bailiffs to deal with the matter. However, this is a very last resort and at every stage in the process the onus will be on the motorist to act, either by paying or appealing.