Teachers considering leaving Oxford due to congestion charge, say campaigners
The county council say the temporary scheme has started well, but campaigners disagree
A local campaign group has said that Oxford’s temporary congestion charge is causing disruption for teachers, and some are considering moving to schools outside the city.
The claim follows the release of the first set of data around the charge, which the county council described as a “promising start.”
They cited reductions in traffic at key locations and improvements to bus services.
However, Open Roads for Oxford, a campaign group opposing the charge, claimed adverse effects are already being felt by certain groups, including school staff.
Anne Gwinnett, Chair of the group, said the congestion charge has added stress for teachers, many of whom already face demanding schedules.
“We know that there are teachers who are actively looking now to move jobs outside of Oxford because it's having such an impact on their everyday movement,” Anne said.
She said that some teachers are struggling to balance other commitments as they are working longer days to avoid the period when the charge is in place.
“We’ve heard that some school staff are travelling in before seven in the morning to miss the congestion charge and leaving after seven in the evening,” Anne added.
The group, which recently submitted papers for a judicial review of the charge, claims the first month of published data supports their concerns.
Anne highlighted that journey times for inbound traffic during evening peak hours on Marston Lane has risen by 65%, which she said, “is quite phenomenal, especially when you realise that it’s a route used by both staff and patients going to the John Radcliffe hospital.”
Oxfordshire County Council says while some traffic delays have risen, other findings show reductions at key locations.
They also said they may look into a traffic light phasing system to control traffic in areas which have seen an increase, like Marsh Lane.
Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, acknowledged the need for ongoing evaluation, highlighting that while the initial data is encouraging, the council remains committed to addressing areas that require improvement.
“It has to be a longer-term vision,” he said. “Key sectors like the hospitals and education, we need to work very closely with them, which we are doing.”