Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds has criticised proposals for a temporary congestion charge in Oxford, calling them “a knee-jerk solution imposed from outside” and warning that the scheme risks alienating residents and businesses.
Under the plans being considered by Oxfordshire County Council, motorists could face a £5 daily charge for driving through one of six key streets in the city.
The measure would apply from 7.00am to 7.00pm on Hythe Bridge Street, St Cross Road, Thames Street and St Clement’s Street, and during peak hours on Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way (Monday to Saturday, 7.00am to 9.00am and 3.00pm – 6.00pm).
Read more: Temporary congestion charge proposed for Oxford as council seeks urgent fix for traffic crisis
The county council’s cabinet is due to meet next Tuesday (June 17) to discuss options for easing congestion in the city. One proposal includes launching a six-week consultation starting June 23 on whether to introduce a temporary congestion charge on the same routes as the delayed traffic filter scheme.
In a strongly worded statement, Ms Dodds said: “None of us heard of this scheme until now. It certainly wasn’t talked about during the local elections, yet they were only a few weeks ago.”
She added: “When I speak with local residents, they say to me they want less congestion, they want more green transport. But they say to me that can only come about if local people and local businesses are listened to.
“They want the Cowley branch line to be reopened to passengers. They want buses that are more frequent, that are subject to more control from local people and buses that are cheaper as well.
“And above all, they want local transport solutions to be driven by local people as part of a plan that we can all take part in. They don’t want knee-jerk solutions imposed from outside by Oxfordshire County Council.”
Ms Dodds also warned that a congestion charge could disproportionately affect residents, saying: “Local residents know that Oxford is not the same as London. We don’t have the alternatives that exist in London when it comes to public transport.
“That means that if we have a congestion charge that applies to local residents, it will be really difficult for many local people to avoid that charge.
“The county council may think that £5 isn’t a lot of money, but for many people living in Oxford, it’s a huge amount to expect to have to pay time and again for unavoidable reasons.
“So I say to the county council, please speak with people who live in Oxford, people who run businesses in our city. Don’t impose yet another scheme on us above our heads.”
If approved following consultation, the congestion charge could be implemented as early as this autumn.
Responding to the proposal, Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran offered a more measured tone: “Congestion in central Oxford is a major problem for thousands of my constituents, and has been much worse during the long closure of Botley Road to traffic.
“I welcome the proposed county council consultation on these measures which would give local residents the opportunity to have their say.”
The scheme forms part of a broader effort by the county council to address congestion and pollution in the city. However, with criticism mounting and public consultation pending, the debate over Oxford’s transport future looks set to intensify in the weeks ahead.
