Congestion charge plan will bring 'enormous benefits'

Plans to introduce a £5 daily congestion charge in Oxford will lead to "enormous benefits", the councillor in charge of the plans has told the BBC.

Oxfordshire County Council is considering introducing the fees for cars travelling through six streets in the city as soon as Autumn 2025, with the plans currently subject to a public consultation.

Speaking to BBC Radio Oxford, the authority's traffic chief, councillor Andrew Gant, said the scheme was about "using finite space more sensibly".

But Emily Scaysbrook, who owns the Hoyle's of Oxford shop on the city's High Street, said the "disgusting" proposals were "unfair and unjust".

Answering listeners questions about the scheme on Sophie Law's breakfast programme on Thursday, Mr Gant said the new scheme would "lead to enormous benefits".

"We are lucky enough to live in a historic medieval city and the roads are what they are, they're not getting any bigger but the demands that are made on them are getting more," he said.

The plans had been designed to manage through traffic in cars he said, adding that it would be "perfectly possible to drive to almost everywhere in Oxford without passing a filter point".

The county council previously said action was needed due to traffic issues caused by the long-term closure of Botley Road for works - which has in turn delayed the introduction of the authority's traffic filter scheme.

Under its new proposals, temporary charging points for the congestion zone would be introduced on Hythe Bridge Street, St Cross Road, St Clement's Street, Thames Street, Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way.

These would remain in place until traffic filters could be installed, following the planned reopening of the Botley Road next August.

But Ms Scaysbrook, who is from the Oxford Business Action Group, said the "punitive" scheme would "affect so many businesses and so many residents".

"I think its disgusting that they're planning on putting in place this scheme now, before they put in place the proposals that they have for the buses that will address some of the issues that people currently driving face getting into Oxford," she said.

"It is totally wrong to put in place sticks like this before the carrots," she added.

Mr Gant retorted that the council "has to reduce congestion", as it was "the thing that is holding buses up".

"You improve the buses by reducing congestion, that is what we're going to do," he said.

Under the proposals, carers, traders and blue badge holders would be able to pass through the charge points without facing any fees.

Meanwhile those living in Oxford will receive 100 permits for free travel past the toll points, with those living in wider Oxfordshire receiving 25.

The plans had been designed with "enormous care" Mr Gant said, explaining that blue badge holders would be able to nominate two vehicles that would be fully exempt from the charge.

He added that the scheme would make the lives of traders and HGV and van drivers "vastly easier and vastly better".

A public consultation into the scheme will be launched on 23 June and last six weeks, after the council's cabinet agreed to accelerate the plans.

The authority has previously come under fire for its response to public consultations, and in particular those that have returned a majority of negative views towards their proposals.

"The consultation is an opportunity for people to tell us what they think about a proposal, our job is to read what they say and to evaluate it," Mr Gant explained.

"But it is not, and it never can be, an exercise in simply counting up ticks in one column and crosses in another," he added.

If approved following the consultation, the scheme could be implemented as soon as Autumn.

"In the end, you can't reduce traffic without reducing traffic - that is what it really comes down to," Mr Gant said of the scheme.

He added: "This needs to be done, and it needs to be done now."

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