A campaign group raises £15k to try stop Oxford's congestion charge
Open Roads for Oxford is campaigning to try prevent the temporary charge
A campaign group has raised around £15,000 in the last two weeks to help with legal fees and other costs as they try to prevent Oxford's congestion charge being imposed in October.
The temporary £5 daily expense for driving through some roads in Oxford is planned to start on Wednesday 29 October.
Under the scheme, permits will be available to several residents, including blue badge holders, care workers, mobile traders, and patients with frequent hospital visits.
Those eligible can now apply using the council’s online registration system, which will be valid for 12 months.
Open Roads for Oxford is a company campaigning to stop the temporary charge and traffic filters schemes.
Emily Scaysbrook, co-founder of Open Roads for Oxford explains how the funds they have raised will be used:
“The vast majority of it will be going on the legal campaign. Legal advice is not cheap and that's why we need to do something like a GoFundMe.
The funds will also be spent on basic expenses beyond that in terms of keeping a website afloat, as well as outreach to communities that we know don't know about this scheme.
“We've come so far already, and I should stress that none of the directors of Open Roads for Oxford are being paid. We are doing this all voluntarily.”
The County Council says it's not received a legal challenge, so cannot comment on potential legal proceedings.
In a previous statement, Cllr Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport said: “The temporary congestion charge will reduce traffic in and around Oxford, to provide the faster, cheaper and more reliable buses, and improved walking and cycling infrastructure that people want.
“Reducing traffic will allow buses to operate far more efficiently in the city, allowing existing routes to be improved, and new routes to be added.
“More than half of the 7,165 responses that the council listened to during the recent six-week consultation were from residents of Oxford. The council analysed responses carefully and changes were made to the scheme as a result of feedback.”