Date set for congestion charge replacement scheme

Oxford's temporary congestion charge will end on 13 September and be replaced with a new traffic filter scheme, the county council has confirmed.

Like the congestion charge, traffic filters will ban cars from being driven past six points in the city, but instead of having the option to pay to go through them, motorist will be fined up to £70.

Permits will still be available and will operate in the same way as the congestion charge.

Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for transport said removing the option for drivers to pay "aims to further reduce through-traffic" and would encourage more people to take public transport, walk or cycle.

Traffic filters are designed to speed up bus journey times and reduce congestion on certain routes, by banning cars from going through six locations in Oxford.

The trial will start on Monday 14 September and will run under an experimental traffic order for a maximum of 18 months.

It will use the same technology as the congestion charge, including the automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.

The £70 fines will be reduced to £35, if paid within 21 days.

The ANPR cameras will be located in the same points and operate at the same times as the congestion charge scheme. These are:

Monday to Sunday - 07:00 to 1900:

• Hythe Bridge Street
• St Cross Road
• St Clement's Street
• Thames Street

Monday to Saturday - 07:00 to 09:00 and 15:00 to 18:00

• Marston Ferry Road
• Hollow Way

The council said permits would be given on the same terms as the congestion charge - including for blue badge holders and frequent hospital patients.

But the central Oxford permit area will now be absorbed in to the Oxford permit area, as the reopening of the Botley Road will mean all areas of the city will be accessible without going through a camera.

Applications for permits can be made online, with residents living in the Oxford permit area eligible for 100 day passes per year. People living in the wider Oxfordshire permit area are eligible for 25 day passes per year.

For the first six months of the traffic filter trial, drivers will be sent a warning notice the first time their car goes through a traffic filter without using a permit.

A public consultation is due to open for residents and businesses to give feedback when the scheme begins.

The traffic filter trial was approved by the council in November 2022, but plans were delayed because of the closure of Botley Road, due to Network Rail's improvements to Oxford Rail Station.

The temporary congestion charge was introduced as an interim measure, raising a surplus of £5.2m for the council.