The £5 charge has ended
Update, 16 October 2026: Oxford’s temporary congestion charge ended on 27 September 2026. The traffic-filter trial replaced it on 28 September. Drivers can no longer pay £5 to pass through a filter during its operating hours. Check whether your vehicle is exempt or has a valid permit, or plan a route that avoids the filters.
See our traffic-filter guide and the council’s current rules. The report below describes the former charge and the offers announced at its launch in October 2025, not current payment or travel advice.
How the temporary charge worked from October 2025
A temporary congestion charge for cars came into force across six locations in the city from Wednesday 29 October 2025, as Oxfordshire County Council sought to cut traffic and keep buses moving during the Botley Road closure, which had delayed the traffic-filter trial.
Under the former scheme, cars without a permit were charged £5 per day if they passed any of the six camera points during operating hours. Cars with an approved permit were exempt, as were vehicles not classified as cars, such as buses, vans, HGVs and motorcycles. Taxis and private-hire cars were covered by a permit category, rather than a blanket exemption for all cars used as taxis.
Cllr Andrew Gant, then Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said in the council’s launch announcement that it would monitor the effects as people adjusted, highlighting new bus timetable improvements and a three-month period of free Park & Ride bus travel for drivers who pay to park.
Details of the former scheme
- Start: Wednesday 29 October 2025 (morning)
- Charge: £5 per day (for cars without a permit; one daily payment covers same-day crossings of the six points)
- Pay by: Midnight the following day (online or by phone; no account needed)
- Grace period: First six weeks, advisory letter on a first offence; PCNs for subsequent contraventions
- Free alternative (3-month pilot): Park for £2.50 (up to 16 hours), ride free: one parking proof covers up to two adults + three children on Park & Ride-serving services (Airline coaches excluded)
- Duration: The charge ran until 27 September 2026; the traffic-filter trial started the next day
Where and when the former charge applied
| Location | Days | Times |
| Marston Ferry Road | Mon–Sat | 07:00–09:00 & 15:00–18:00 |
| Hollow Way | Mon–Sat | 07:00–09:00 & 15:00–18:00 |
| Hythe Bridge Street | Mon–Sun | 07:00–19:00 |
| St Cross Road | Mon–Sun | 07:00–19:00 |
| St Clement’s Street | Mon–Sun | 07:00–19:00 |
| Thames Street | Mon–Sun | 07:00–19:00 |
Each charge point covered one fixed location. Drivers could use the road on either side without crossing that point; the charge applied only when a car passed the point during its operating hours.
Permits, day passes and exemptions
- Several permit categories removed the charge for eligible trips, including eligible residents, Blue Badge holders, carers and traders.
- Residents could request a limited number of day passes each year for occasional car use.
- Before travelling under that scheme, drivers needed an approved permit registered to their car to avoid payment.
- Current eligibility: check the separate traffic-filter exemptions and permits.
How payment and enforcement worked
- Payment window: The £5 could be paid online or by phone by midnight the day after passing a charge point (no account required).
- Enforcement: ANPR cameras at each point; advance warning signs were installed.
- Grace period: For the first six weeks, the council issued an advisory letter for a car’s first contravention; subsequent contraventions could lead to penalty charge notices.
The Park & Ride offer announced in October 2025
The following were the launch terms announced by Oxford Bus Company. They should not be used as a current fare quotation.
- Sites: Pear Tree, Oxford Parkway, Seacourt, Redbridge, Thornhill.
- Parking: £2.50 for up to 16 hours; a valid parking ticket was required as proof.
- Who travels free: With one paid parking session, up to two adults + three children could travel free between Park & Ride sites and Oxford on Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel and Stagecoach services that call at Park & Ride sites (not just numbered P&R routes).
- Hospital access: Frequent links from P&R sites to JR/Churchill/NOC (including service 700).
- Note: Airline coaches were not included in the free travel.
Bus service changes linked to the scheme
Oxford Bus Company announced timetable changes from 9 November 2025. These historical examples are not current timetable advice:
- 700 increased to every 20 mins (Mon–Fri) and every 30 mins (weekends) on a consistent Kidlington–Blackbird Leys route.
- 300 Redbridge P&R added calls at Lake Street (Abingdon Road) following local feedback.
Worked examples under the former charge
- Cowley → Headington via Hollow Way at 08:20 (Mon–Sat) → Charge applied (peak window).
- Marston Ferry Road at 18:10 on Saturday → No charge at that point: its afternoon charging period ended at 18:00.
- Hythe Bridge Street at 18:55 on Sunday → Charge applied (07:00–19:00).
- Two crossings same day (e.g., St Clement’s 08:10 and Hythe Bridge 17:45) → One £5 payment covered both (same-day).
- During the former scheme: drivers could avoid the charge by travelling outside operating times, using an alternative route or Park & Ride, or using an approved permit/day pass.
Accessibility and carers
- Blue Badge and carer permits were available where eligibility criteria were met, with evidence required.
- Check the current traffic-filter permit rules before making a journey.
Current information and correction
The council confirms that the temporary congestion charge ended on 27 September 2026. For journeys now, use the traffic-filter guidance and current bus timetables.
Correction, 16 October 2026: the original quick-details box incorrectly called 29 October 2025 a Tuesday. It was a Wednesday. The original Marston Ferry Road example also incorrectly said a charge applied at 18:10 on a Saturday, after the 18:00 end of its charging period. Both errors have been corrected. The article now clearly distinguishes the ended charge from the traffic-filter trial.
