Concerns raised over £5 Oxford congestion charge that would put 'thousands of livelihoods at risk'
It's been slammed as “imposing tolls"
A divisive proposal to introduce a congestion charge in Oxford has been slammed as “imposing tolls” amid fears it would put “thousands of livelihoods at risk”.
Oxfordshire County Council, which is responsible for transport policy, is considering introducing a temporary £5 daily congestion charge for motorists who drive through several roads in the city without a permit.
The roads affected include Hythe Bridge Street, St Cross Road, Thames Street and St. Clement’s Street every day from 7am to 7pm, as well as Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way Monday to Saturday from 7am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm.
The county council said this will reduce congestion and help buses run quicker before the traffic filter trial is introduced when Botley Road reopens.
While the scheme has been backed by bus companies and travel groups, it has also had fierce opposition from Labour figures, including Anneliese Dodds MP for Oxford East and leader of Oxford City Council Susan Brown.
The Labour group on the city council has put forward a short motion which says the council wishes to “express its opposition to the congestion charge scheme”, ahead of the full council meeting next Monday (July 14).
Councillor James Taylor, who was elected to the city council in May as its youngest councillor, put forward the motion.
This was seconded by councillor Asima Qayyum.
He said: “The Labour Group, our Labour MP Anneliese Dodds, and the wider Labour Party in Oxford have already registered our opposition to both the way this congestion charge is being imposed on the city of Oxford, its residents and businesses by the County Council, and the charge itself.
“We believe that the congestion charge proposal, which is akin to imposing tolls on five of Oxford’s main roads, allows people who can afford to do so the ability to buy access to our streets, while those who are struggling financially are not able to do so.
“It’s a clearly inequitable scheme.
“Our city needs to clearly reject a policy that is being imposed on it by councillors who represent communities far from it.”
He added: “If the county wants to know our position on managing congestion, they should consult with our leadership before they announce major traffic proposals.
“We want a range of measures, including tackling private school traffic (which the congestion charge scheme would fail to do), ensuring improved bus services went in with the LTNs (not ages after the fact), and building and securing the Cowley Branch Line to secure a quick public route into the city for people in Littlemore and the Leys.”
The congestion charge also featured heavily in Tuesday’s full county council meeting,
A total of 17 written questions were sent to transport chief Andrew Gant about the congestion charge in advance of the full council meeting on Tuesday, July 8.
Bernadette Evans, spokesperson for Oxford Business Action Group, said the county council were “experimenting” with small businesses and “risking thousands of livelihoods”.
The Labour group on the county council withdrew its support for traffic filters in January, which would be in the same location as the congestion charge points, arguing the trial had “timed out” due to the ongoing closure of Botley Road.
Oxford City Council is backing proposals for a ‘Greater Oxford’ unitary council under local Government reorganisation plans, which it says would allow people living in the city and surroundings areas to have greater control over local transport.
When asked whether a Labour-ran Greater Oxford Council would revoke the congestion charge and traffic filter plans, Mr Taylor said: “I can’t speak on behalf of a future Labour Group, but it is clear our city Labour administration opposes the introduction of the congestion charge scheme”.
He also ruled out “wasting taxpayers’ money” on legal action against the scheme which would “go nowhere”.
Not all Labour city councillors disagree with the congestion charge however.
Councillor Jemima Hunt, who represents St Clement’s, said: “As the Labour City Councillor behind the successful implementation of St Clement’s LTN in 2022, I welcome the council’s plans to tackle Oxford’s decades long congestion problem with a congestion charge.
“The May local elections delivered a council with a clear mandate to tackle the problem of congestion in our city.
“The recent Labour backed Citizens Assembly urged us to ‘implement a congestion charge’ and ‘make the city centre car-free’.
“Cities across the world are moving away from car use. Oxford needs to do the same.”
The Labour group said this does not represent the party’s view on the matter.
Chris Smowton, leader of the city council Lib Dem group, said: “Bus providers have made it clear they need prompt action to reduce congestion, but we’re not hearing any viable plan from Labour.
“County Labour voted for a traffic filter scheme back in 2022. Back then it seemed like they backed our buses.
“Now it’s clear they’re running scared of independent councillors running on a pro-car ticket. But will imitating the indies even work?
“They’ve sat on the fence so long. I expect voters will see through their IOA tribute act.” Andrew Gant, Lib Dem city councillor for Cutteslowe and Sunnymead and cabinet member for transport management at the county council, said: “I am genuinely baffled and disappointed by Labour’s muddled position on this. “The congestion scheme was developed as a direct result of the call for immediate action from Labour city council leader, Susan Brown, along with others, in early February. “The citizens assembly, set up by Labour, specifically asked for a congestion charge. Labour urged us to implement all of its recommendations in full. “Labour councillors created and voted for the traffic filters scheme, much of which is carried forward into the proposed temporary charging scheme. “The county Labour group asked for cheaper bus fares for young people. The congestion scheme actually delivers that.”
Independent councillor Saj Malik said: “This is a blatant attempt by Labour to get voters back on side but the damage has been done and people see through them.
“The truth is Labour councillors have always voted in favour of LTNs, traffic filters and the zero emissions zone expansion.
“To say they now oppose the congestion charge, which is basically the traffic filters by another name, is just trying to pull the wool over our eyes.
“They had three years on the county council cabinet to put a stop to all this but they chose not to.”
A petition against the scheme has also gained more than 11,000 signatures.
The six-week consultation on the scheme is currently underway and will close on August 3.
The county council cabinet are set to decide whether to approve the scheme at their meeting in September.