Oxford's traffic filter trial: Your questions answered
Gareth EppsIn three weeks' time, Oxford's temporary congestion charge will end and a traffic filter trial will begin.
Signs are going up and 340,000 leaflets are being delivered to households and businesses across the county.
Traffic filters were first approved by the council in November 2022 following a public consultation. But what is the trial designed to do and how will it affect people travelling into Oxford?
Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for transport, joined Gemma Hill on BBC Radio Oxford's breakfast show to help explain more.
What are traffic filters?
Epps said: "This is a scheme to limit the number of cars that have been clogging up Oxford's roads for as long as I can remember.
"This will replace the temporary congestion charge that was brought in a year or so ago in reaction to the prolonged closure of the Botley Road.
"As we know, the Botley Road is due to open a week on Sunday and so from the 28th of September, car drivers won't any longer be able to pay the £5 congestion charge to pass through the six filter points.
"But any resident of Oxfordshire can register on the county council website, sign up to get free passes to get through the filters. If you're within the Oxford city boundaries it's 100 a year. If you're in wider Oxfordshire it's 25 a year. And that's absolutely free.
"But otherwise, we need to limit the amount of traffic that's going around Oxford in order to make sure that buses, emergency vehicles and other vehicles can get through quickly and safely."
What roads are affected and when?
Epps said the scheme would operate from 07:00 to 19:00 and affect four locations in and around Oxford city centre.
They are:
- Thames Street
- Hythe Bridge Street
- St Cross Road
- St Clement's Street
He said two additional filters, on Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way, would operate only during peak hours, between 07:00 and 09:00 and between 15:00 and 18:00.
Are exemptions still available and how do they work?
Epps said: "There are 20 different exceptions so, for example, social care workers can apply for a permit if they're working in Oxford.
"They're able to apply for permits that mean they can travel through freely.
"If they're a construction trades vehicle, similarly, if they're vehicles that need to deliver things in and around the city centre, again there are permits available.
"I do speak to people who are unaware of that so I do point anyone with any queries to the county council website."
How does it work for people who don't live in Oxfordshire?
Epps said: "Anywhere within the city of Oxford, from the 28 September, you'll be able to get to without passing through a filter point."
He added that the Westgate Centre had not been subject to the scheme during the congestion charge period because Botley Road was closed. However, he said people would be able to reach the shopping centre via Botley Road once it reopens.
"And it's also worth remembering that the park and ride has been heavily discounted as a result of the proceeds of the congestion charge," he added.
"So we've now got a £3 combined ticket from the park and ride and that covers return bus travel for up to five people of any age - and that comes with up to 16 hours free parking."
This is a trial - can the scheme be changed and adapted?
A listener with two businesses in St Clement's texted in and said a third of his business had been "slashed" during the scheme. He said "we genuinely fear for our survival" during the traffic filter programme.
Epps said: "In St Clement's in particular... I think there is the need for us to look at the area at local level. I think there may have been some detail around things such as parking... and there may be things that we can do to make it easier for residents coming in from Headington to park around there.
"Clearly around the six filter points, there is a need to make sure that we're looking after the needs of local businesses around those areas.
"I'm visiting Hollow Way next week and I want to carry on talking to people in those areas as well as those poor businesses on the Botley Road that have had to put up with so much."
How long will traffic filters last and how will you judge its success?
It's going to last for a maximum of 18 months. I'll judge it on a whole variety of measures but principally looking at the response to the consultation.
Oxfordshire County Council's website has more information on the traffic filter scheme.
Free webinars are also being held for people to learn more about how the scheme will work and the permits available.