Consultation opens on charging drivers £5 for entering city centre

A consultation on introducing the UK’s first road congestion charge for more than two decades has been launched.

Oxfordshire County Council said it is proposing to charge drivers £5 per day to enter parts of Oxford city centre.

The Liberal Democrat-run local authority claimed the plan has a series of objectives, such as reducing traffic, making bus journeys faster, improving the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, and cutting air pollution.

London and Durham – the only other parts of the UK with congestion charges – introduced their schemes in the early 2000s.

A number of other cities have implemented clean air zones, which charge vehicles that fail to meet minimum emission standards.

Oxfordshire County Council is proposing to launch the temporary congestion charge in the autumn.

It said “urgent action is needed” to reduce delays to buses, partly caused by the temporary closure of Botley Road since April 2023 because of a Network Rail project to expand the city’s railway station.

The congestion charge would remain until the introduction of a traffic filtering trial once Botley Road reopens, which is expected to be in August 2026.

It could be in place as a temporary measure for up to two years, the council said.

The scheme would apply only to cars and be enforced using automatic number plate recognition cameras (ANPR) positioned at six locations.

Cars with a permit or day pass would be able to pass through the charging area without paying.

The council is planning to make permits available for groups such as residents, blue badge holders, frequent hospital patients, taxis and private hire vehicles.

Electric cars will not be exempt from the daily fee as the scheme’s purpose would be to “reduce traffic by reducing the number of car journeys”, according to the local authority.

The council said income generated by the congestion charge would be used to cover the cost of setting up and operating the system, with any additional money going towards discounted park and ride services and improved bus services.

The consultation opened on Monday and runs for six weeks.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said residents need assurances that the scheme will end within two years as there have been “too many times” when charges that are “supposedly temporary” are kept because they become “too lucrative”.

He added: “Ultimately, the aim of the council is to reduce car traffic while creating a better alternative via buses and bikes.

“Expanded park and ride or park and pedal facilities would contribute in a big way towards that ambition.”