Key travel groups in Oxford will join forces to sign a joint letter in support of the city’s proposed temporary congestion charge at an event on Friday. Bus companies, taxi operators and active travel groups will meet this week to jointly sign the letter that will be submitted to Oxfordshire County Council.
The letter will call for a ‘multimodal’ future for the city and for the creation of more road space for people to share, which will help reduce congestion.
Representatives from Oxford Bus Company, Stagecoach West, the City of Oxford Licensed Taxicab Association, and the Coalition for Healthy Streets and Active Travel will gather to show a unified position on the proposals.
The letter, which will be signed on behalf of ‘representatives of multiple transport modes in Oxford’ will strongly call for the County Council to proceed with the proposed temporary congestion charge for cars to “unblock our city.”
It will back the proposal and highlight it will free up roads to enable buses to run more reliably and introduce further improvements.
The group will also state the scheme will make roads clearer for vital users including taxis, disabled people, carers, trades and freight and safer for those who walk, cycle or scoot.
Luke Marion, of Oxford Bus Company, said: “All of the city’s key travel groups are unified in our position that the proposals are vital to help tackle the city’s congestion emergency.
“We need urgent measures to help buses and other modes of transport to run more reliably for the benefit of everyone. Any money raised from the scheme would be ringfenced and reinvested in improving public transport.”
Chris Hanson, Managing Director for Stagecoach West said: “We welcome the opportunity to unify our message with those of other transport modes and companies.
“Congestion in Oxford is at an all-time high and some of our services are almost 20% slower today than in 2022. Only bold measures, such as the proposed temporary congestion charge, will provide opportunities to speed up buses and other public transport and active travel modes.”
The event will take place at Stagecoach Oxford’s “Network Oxford” depot site on Friday.
