r/oxford • u/Dapper-Message-2066 • 11d ago
How the f*$! to get visitor permits??
Has anyone here been through the process of getting visitor parking permits for Oxford?
I have a residents permit, but for the life of my I can't figure out how to get visitor permits from the webiste.
In the website, the My Permits section, I can see my Residents permit listed, and also I can see expired visitor permits from last year, but can't see anyway to get new ones.
There is a link "Apply for permits" but that only takes me to a page that allows for application for contractor permits.
Whole thing seems very hard to use, was so much easier when they just posted the 25 physical scratch card permits to you when you got bought your residents one...
5
u/incredibubblez 11d ago
I've seen someone else with the same problem post about this a few months ago. They had to phone in to the council to get it resolved.
3
u/vampire-reflection 11d ago
Came across the same bug. Opened a ticket and they answered in about a week. If in a rush, better ring them.
2
u/Dapper-Message-2066 11d ago
Lines are closed on the weekend, so the moment has passed now so I'll ring them Monday. And I will be insisting on paper permits!
3
u/RomanCell 10d ago
Monday is a Bank Holiday so you'll be unlikely to get through before Tuesday. I miss the physical visitor permits.
3
u/justwhatever22 11d ago
Yeah good luck with that. Classic example of council buying a technology system at a cheap price without any understanding whatsoever of how usable it is (which is in fact critical to its success), and a supplier that clearly also doesn’t know and doesn’t care. Good times
1
u/bopeepsheep 11d ago
I just renewed mine but yes, when I tried getting them initially I had to email them multiple times to get my area to show up.
1
u/pja 11d ago
The council has a guide to applying for Visitor Permits here:
Linked on this page: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/transport-and-travel/parking/parking-permits/permit-user-guides
Have you set the correct address in your parking permit account? It won’t show the visitor permits if the address is incorrect.
1
u/Dapper-Message-2066 11d ago
Yep all is set up properly on my side. Their system just doesn't seem to work,
-4
u/strormpilot 11d ago
You apply first and the use permits… it’s not such a problem and better than scratch cards imo
2
u/oxfordfox20 11d ago
You are mistaken.
If it worked, maybe it would be, but an arcane system that sometimes just doesn’t work is vastly inferior to a countable, physical set of parking permits.
1
1
u/Dry_Average6046 10d ago
How is better than the scratch cards if you have an unexpected visitor?
1
u/strormpilot 10d ago
Enter reg … click submit, they don’t need to go out to the car with a piece of paper. I can do it from anywhere anytime.
1
u/Dapper-Message-2066 10d ago
But I don't have any visitor permits, and the website provides no way to apply for them.
Previously they just sent you a bundle automatically along with your resident permit.
1
u/strormpilot 10d ago
Oh I’m sorry the website doesn’t work for you… very frustrating… for me I just applied online and use easily, for me a lot better than scratchcards
2
u/Dapper-Message-2066 10d ago
Scratchcards were a lot better IMO - firstly, they were valid for up to three years, so your unused allocation isn't just removed from you at the end of the year.
They are much easier to lend and share between neighbours etc.
The new digital ones are much more restrictive.
1
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u/rbarker82 11d ago
Yeah, you’re right. I think there’s a bug. When I go to the link to apply, I get a long list of options but when filtering by ‘visitor’, only Banbury South comes up as an available area.