Archive report — checked 16 October 2026. This report concerns proposals announced in June 2025. That consultation has closed and the temporary charge was subsequently replaced by traffic filters on 28 September 2026. Drivers can no longer pay £5 to cross a filter during its operating hours. See our updated traffic-filter guide and the council’s current rules. The main photograph is illustrative; it does not show Oxford’s traffic-filter signage.
Oxfordshire County Council announced on 9 June 2025 that its cabinet would consider a temporary £5 daily congestion charge at a meeting on 17 June. The proposal was intended as an interim response to congestion while Botley Road remained closed and the traffic-filter trial was delayed.
At that stage, the council envisaged a consultation starting on 23 June and possible implementation in autumn 2025. Botley Road’s then-expected August 2026 reopening was a forecast, not a confirmed completion date.
What did the June 2025 proposal involve?
Drivers of non-exempt cars (including electric) would pay £5 per day to travel through any of six designated charge points in Oxford during the hours listed below. Four locations were proposed for daily operation; two had shorter peak-time hours from Monday to Saturday:
| Charging Point | Charging Days | Charging Times |
|---|---|---|
| Hythe Bridge Street | Monday to Sunday | 7am – 7pm |
| St. Cross Road | Monday to Sunday | 7am – 7pm |
| St. Clement’s Street | Monday to Sunday | 7am – 7pm |
| Thames Street | Monday to Sunday | 7am – 7pm |
| Marston Ferry Road | Monday to Saturday | 7am – 9am and 3pm – 6pm |
| Hollow Way | Monday to Saturday | 7am – 9am and 3pm – 6pm |
The proposed schedule included bank holidays, subject to each location’s operating days and hours.
Enforcement would rely on automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, and payment would have to be made online or by phone by midnight the following day.
Who would have qualified for permits?
The proposal distinguished non-car vehicles, which would not be charged, from cars needing a qualifying permit or payment. It did not offer unlimited free access to every resident, visitor or commuter.
Oxford permit-area residents were proposed to receive 100 day passes and wider Oxfordshire residents 25. Further permits covered specified groups such as carers, traders and Blue Badge holders. Additional categories were proposed for people living, visiting or parking for work in a small central area without a charge-free access route. These were proposals for the temporary scheme; they are not a statement of current permit eligibility.
How would funds have been used?
Any income generated would first cover operational costs. Any surplus revenue would be ring-fenced, by law, for transport improvements, including:
- Free or discounted park and ride parking
- Subsidised bus and park & ride fares
- Enhancements to bus routes and frequency
The council said the income could only be used for transport.
The consultation proposed in June 2025
The county council’s original announcement proposed a six-week consultation, with online and paper responses and public information events. Cabinet subsequently approved consultation on 17 June. That 2025 engagement exercise has finished.
Political reaction at the time
Despite the urgency of the council’s plan, the announcement has already triggered political criticism, particularly from Oxford City Council.
In a statement on 9 June 2025, city council leader Susan Brown criticised the lack of prior engagement and the affordability implications. She called for clearer commitments to cheaper, more comprehensive bus services and a wider transport review.
County transport cabinet member Andrew Gant argued in the county council’s announcement that action was needed for residents, businesses and visitors while Botley Road remained closed.
Earlier, in a 20 March 2025 statement, Oxford Bus Group managing director Luke Marion said average bus journey times on Abingdon Road had increased by 17% since the Botley Road closure. That was a journey-time comparison for that corridor, not a 17% reduction in bus speeds generally.
What happened afterwards?
The temporary charge was subsequently introduced and was replaced by the traffic-filter trial on 28 September 2026. The current scheme has different access rules, including the removal of the £5 payment option. Use the current guidance linked above before travelling.
Correction, 16 October 2026: the original text overstated the hours applying at all six locations and described a 17% rise in journey times as a fall in bus speeds. Those passages and the permit explanation have been corrected; the original publication date is retained.
