Council faces legal action over congestion charge

Hythe Bridge Street will be one of six charging points in Oxford

The first step towards a legal challenge against Oxford's congestion charge has begun as a campaign group gears up to take the council to court.

Oxfordshire County Council received a pre-action protocol letter on Tuesday from lawyers acting on behalf of Open Roads for Oxford - an organisation opposed to the new charge.

The letter sets out its grounds for taking the council's decision to judicial review including that public consultation responses were not "conscientiously taken into account".

Oxfordshire County Council acknowledged it had received the notice and was considering its content.

The temporary £5 daily fee is due to begin on 29 October and will apply to cars driving through six roads in the city.

Paul Major, who owns Pens Plus of Oxford and is chair of Open Roads for Oxford, said: "We had hoped the county council would listen to the very real and evidence-based concerns being raised about this scheme, but they continue to ignore them, with apparently little regard for the harm this will cause to individuals and businesses."

Emily Scaysbrook, owner of Hoyle's in the city centre, added: "Of course, our preferred outcome is that the council will now reconsider their position, before forcing residents, businesses, and workers into costly and unnecessary hardship.

"If not, we are ready to pursue all legal avenues necessary."

The county council must reply to the letter by 21 October.

It can either accept the decision was unlawful and not introduce it, or proceed and set out a proposed defence to the challenges raised by the group.

If the latter happens, the group would have to wait until permission for a judicial review was granted.

So far, the group has raised more than £25,000 towards its campaign.

A county council spokesperson added it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this stage.