Oxford congestion charge aims to encourage different ways to commute in the city
Oxfordshire County Council will be meeting later today to discuss the congestion charge scheme
The proposed congestion charge in Oxford is aiming to encourage people to use different ways to commute across the city, according to Oxfordshire County Council.
The scheme could introduce a daily £5 charge on some roads in the city as part of an effort to reduce traffic while there’s warnings that congestion is at “emergency levels”.
Cabinet members from the County Council will discuss the plans later this afternoon.
It’s expected they’ll authorise officers to carry out a public consultation to implement a congestion charging scheme.
The Council is also recommended to request officers to develop an ‘income spending strategy’ which will focus income from the scheme on reducing the costs of bus travel, including potential park and ride incentives.
Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport, says “it'll just be a city that works so much better”.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, he said: "What we're trying to do here is make more sensible use of road space, so the way to do that is to reduce the amount of vehicles that are trying to use our road space.
“Now, you can't do that without potentially removing or moving to another location, some kinds of journeys. So, we are we are trying to promote different ways for people who commute to work and it's all about a choice.
“If you're driving into to work in Oxford from outside the city and you could transfer to a park and ride bus, but that bus gets stuck in traffic, then you're probably just going to stay in your car because you might as well sit in that traffic jam in your car.
“But if that bus is quicker because we have dealt with that traffic, chances are you’ll park in the park and ride and get on the bus.”
Oxfordshire County Council say the congestion charge will be a temporary measure after plans to implement the traffic filters trial was postponed.
On its website, the Council says, “Network Rail’s ongoing closure of Botley Road at Oxford station means Cabinet’s November 2022 decision to introduce six trial traffic filters in Oxford cannot be implemented until at least August 2026.”
Meanwhile, almost 9,000 people have now signed a petition against plans for the congestion charge.
Campaigners against the proposals say it is “essentially another tax that will hit residents, workers and businesses hard, especially those who can least afford it and are already struggling”.
The petitions adds: “It will impact all businesses who trade in Oxford, and sadly for many, this will be the final nail in their coffin.”