Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet has approved plans for a £5 congestion charge for drivers on six of Oxford’s busiest roads. The charge will come into force on 10th November and will stay in place until Botley Road reopens in August 2026.
Motorists travelling on Hythe Bridge Street, St Cross Road, Thames Street, and St Clement’s Street between 7am and 7pm will be affected, as will drivers on Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way travelling in the morning (between 7am and 9am) and early evening (from 3pm until 6pm), excluding Sundays.
Once Botley Road reopens, the congestion charge system will be replaced by a traffic filter trial, where drivers will be charged at least £35 for driving on these same six roads.
Anne Gwinnett, Chair of the Oxford Independent Alliance, has criticised the decision to implement the scheme in the face of what she called “a landslide rejection”. 74% of Oxford residents who took part in the council’s consultation said the scheme would have a negative impact, whilst a petition opposing the congestion charge, which started in June, stands at more than 13,500 signatures.
The Open Roads for Oxford pressure group, which opposes the congestion charge, was established in response to the scheme’s proposal. Emily Scaysbrook, a local business owner and Director of the group, told BBC News that it’s “reckless” of the council to introduce a congestion charge prior to the Christmas shopping season which “so many retailers and hospitality businesses rely on to survive”.
Anneliese Dodds, Labour MP for Oxford East, also spoke out against the scheme, calling it “extremely unfair”.
Moves to discourage driving in Oxford come amidst increasing environmental concerns about the impact of pollution from cars. In recent years concerns about pollution have seen the introduction of a zero emissions zone (ZEZ) in the city centre, as well as the electrification of Oxford’s buses.
Responding to criticism of the scheme, County Councillor Andrew Grant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “It will enhance bus services, it frees up road spaces, it makes the air cleaner and it makes the roads safer. The evidence says this will make the city centre more vibrant and a nicer place to be”. Gant has also said that a recently announced scheme to offer free bus travel from park and ride sites in Oxford (using the funds raised by the congestion charges) will help to ”support local businesses”.
Cyclox, a local cycling group in Oxford, has come out in support of the scheme, with Cyclox member Thalia Carr, saying it would “improve things for people on bikes.
“Cars that do have to drive will be able to get to their destinations quicker, it means it’ll be safer for bicycles and it’ll be cleaner air for everybody”.
