Around 50 different plans, some very imaginative and speculative, have been put forward to the government’s Airports Commission looking at airport expansion in the South East, and the leading ideas will be chosen later in the year.

Pleiade Architects from Bristol have come to the conclusion that the best location for the airport would be on the same site, near Abingdon, where plans have already been put forward for a reservoir, and a Garden City.

Pleiade Architects have put some thought into rejigging some airport plans that were previously worked on in 2003.

It appears that not everybody has taken their work seriously. On twitter I have read …

“It should regenerate the local taxi trade”

“It would bring people to the Abingdon, but isn’t it a bit extreme!”

“A large price to pay for a Marcham bypass.”

Free Parking was introduced in December 2011 and for the first year or so there were temporary signs round car parks warning people to get a ticket for the two free hours. These are now replaced by permanent signs.

At each entrance into town there is now a Free Parking sign

Reynolds Way pharmacy have signs all round South Abingdon saying they have Free Parking. Parking was always free at Reynolds Way but it helps advertise a fairly new service – so clever marketing.

Recently Waitrose changed to have 2 hours free parking to fall in line with other carparks – they were 90 minutes.

And every morning along Wilsham Road you will see a long queue of cars who get all day Free Parking. People working in the town centre can save £5.30 (6 hour+) a day by walking the last half mile. But it is not always so popular with Wilsham Road residents.

Tim Valentine, the busking pianist, was playing his piano on a trolley in town this morning. The music warmed passers by on a cold morning.

A funeral director walked in front of the hearse out of Conduit Road and along Ock Street, then moved to the side of the road and bowed his top hat with great respect towards the coffin inside.

A red van had come from Banbury and was trying to find the way round the Abingdon road system. After asking a postman, he went round and round the one way system two or three times, then drove round and round East St Helen Street and West St Helen Street before finding the final destination: Lansbrough Lettings in West St Helen Street.