Parking veteran Frampton passes away, aged 103

Ron Frampton, an engineer who helped to build Britain’s first park & ride in Oxford has died aged 103.

He was born in Enfield, Middlesex, on 5 March 1917. After leaving school in 1935 he initially worked at Enfield Steel Mills, however, he soon applied for a job with Enfield Urban Council. This was the start of a 46-year career in local government. After working as a timekeeper and cost clerk in the engineer’s department, he was offered a position as an articled pupil to engineer Frank Lee.

At the outbreak of World War 2, Frampton supervised the construction of 180 large concrete air raid shelters in just 12 months. Then, in 1940, he joined the Army, initially serving with the Royal Artillery and later with the Royal Engineers.

He installed the first anti-aircraft sites at Blackpool and spent 18 months protecting the fleet at Scapa Flow before returning to London to supervise the building of gun sites. By 1943 he was a Sergeant with the Royal Engineers. He was stationed in East Africa where he worked on the building of camps, hospitals, roads, slipways and radar stations.

After the war Frampton returned to Enfield and worked on prefab construction, road and sewer projects. He also worked on proposed routes for the Enfield Ring Road (40 years later this became the foundation of part of the M25).

In 1951 he moved to Wales to become principle assistant engineer with the County Borough of Newport, where he was involved drainage, roads and bridge projects.

Frampton joined Oxford City Council as chief assistant engineer in 1961, later becoming deputy city engineer. He worked on the Meadow Scheme, which would have built a new relief road through Christ Church Meadow. The scheme was eventually abandoned. Two projects he did realise were the city’s St Ebbes multi-storey car park and what was the UK’s first park & ride at Redbridge.

In 1973 Frampton was elected to the British Parking Association (BPA), rising to become vice chairman in 1977 and president in 1981.

Frampton was married twice. His five children, ten grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren survive him. He passed away on 18 April, aged 103, after contracting COVID-19.