Councillors fail to halt Oxford's congestion charge

Conservative, Labour and Reform members were among those who had hoped to win a vote to get the congestion charge halted.

Oxford's temporary congestion charge will continue as planned, despite attempts by councillors to stop the policy, less than a week after it began.

Opposition members, including councillors from the Conservatives Party, Reform and the Labour and Cooperative Group, supported a motion at full council on Tuesday, asking the cabinet to immediately end the charge.

But the Liberal Democrat administration brought down the motion, with the support of Green Party members, with 22 people voting for, 36 against and two abstentions.

The £5 congestion charge was introduced last Wednesday (29 October), for car drivers without a permit, travelling through one of six routes in Oxford.

Councillor Liam Walker said he was disappointed his motion to stop the congestion charge had failed.

The scheme is expected to be replaced by a traffic filter trial, using the same camera points and back office infrastructure as the congestion charge programme, when the Botley Road is expected to reopen next summer.

Councillor Liam Walker, leader of the Conservatives at the county council, raised the motion, describing the congestion charge as a "tax on movement" and it was "unfair, unwanted and unworkable".

Mr Walker said the failure of the motion was disappointing but urged residents to continue to raise concerns about the scheme with their county councillors.

Councillor Andrew Gant, head of highways at Oxfordshire County Council said the scheme to tackle congestion is part of wider plans to provide "better public transport, cleaner air, safer roads and better conditions for walking, cycling and wheeling."

During the meeting, members heard from Year 7 Cherwell School student, Lydia Jansson, who described the difficulties she had getting to her school from Marston, on the days she was unable to cycle.

Lydia said the temporary congestion charge doubled the length of her journey as her family didn't want to use one of their permits which could be better used to visit her "Grandma and other relatives in Cowley."

Members of the public also spoke in favour of the temporary congestion charge, including a representative from Oxford cycling group, Cyclox, saying the policy would increase safety for cyclists and pedestrians.

Cherwell School student, Lydia Jansson, told the council that her journey time to school had doubled as a result of the congestion charge.

Reform councillor for Didcot South, Hao Du, supported the Conservative motion in opposition to the congestion charge. Mr Du said the Chinese community in Didcot buy its essentials on the Cowley Road in Oxford.

He said: "This scheme will push us to look to Reading for an alternative. Oxford isn't just for the residents of Oxford and people have legitimate reasons to drive there on a regular basis".

Reform Councillor, Hao Du, voted in favour of removing Oxford's temporary congestion charge.

A legal challenge to the scheme, brought by Open Roads for Oxford, is still underway.