'Oxford has had it': Lib Dem council accused of crippling business and leaving city centre gridlocked with hated new anti-car permit scheme

A controversial new anti-car filter scheme in the heart of a historic city is crippling businesses and leaving roads completely gridlocked, according to furious locals.

Some motorists claim they were stuck for so long in Oxford city centre on Sunday, October 11 that car park staff were forced to hand out water as queues took hours to clear.

It follows Lib Dem-run Oxfordshire County Council's decision to introduce a new scheme which punishes drivers with £70 fines if they pass through six key points around the city without a permit. 

Business leaders say the latest attack on motorists is 'destroying' the city's economic hub by massively increasing journey times, which is then putting off visitors.  

Council chiefs – who have said the purpose of the scheme is to 'reduce' congestion – insisted the weekend's chaos was caused by the city's Half Marathon event last Sunday.

But one resident said: 'No wonder there are so many shops boarded up in Oxford. It's both too expensive and too difficult to travel into.' 

The traffic filters operate between 7am and 7pm for any driver passing through specific points on Thames Street, Hythe Bridge Street, St Cross Road and St Clement's Street. 

Two of the filters, on Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way, only operate during peak hours, between 7am and 9am and between 3pm and 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

Cars entering these roads without a valid permit at a time during operating hours will receive a fine of £70 (reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days).

Permits are being made available to residents and Blue Badge holders, as well as unpaid carers, firefighters, car clubs, approved driving instructors. 

However, locals have complained of heavier traffic and lengthy delays since the measures came into force on September 28. 

One mother was trapped inside Westgate Shopping Centre's multi-storey car park for three hours with her two young children, aged six and ten months, due to the delays. 

'Car park staff are handing out water to everyone who is stuck here, and are advising the city is gridlocked and we'll apparently be stuck in the car park for at least the next few hours,' Emily Strange, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, said. 

'[Oxfordshire County Council's] emergency highways phone line is conveniently closed, so this feels like the only way of possibly reaching someone from the council.'

Ms Strange said she had been in Oxford on Half Marathon day in previous years and had 'never experienced traffic like that'. 

She said she firmly believes the traffic filters were to blame. 

Elizabeth Jones added in comments to the Oxford Mail: 'Oxford has had it; they build a brand new Westgate and within a decade make it almost impossible to access it.

'It was built with a large car park underneath it? Why? Car drivers are being driven out of Oxford.'

Oxford Bus Company also said it had suffered 'a lot of disruption' over the weekend. 

A spokesman said: 'The introduction of the traffic filters trial has coincided with various roadworks in Oxford, including the closure of Queen Street for resurfacing works outside the Westgate shopping centre and in Cowley.

'This has unfortunately caused a lot of disruption to our services, and the timings of these works could have been better aligned.'

The traffic filters replace a 'temporary' Congestion Charge introduced in October last year that charged drivers £5 for using the same six roads. 

The scheme is the latest in a series of traffic-reduction measures to affect Oxford residents, following the introduction of controversial low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs).

LTNs were first introduced in the city in 2021 and prevent cars from taking shortcuts down residential streets.

Locals previously branded them a 'complete disaster'. One of their main critics is Florence Pugh's father Clinton Pugh. 

He told the Daily Mail: 'They are deliberately destroying the economic hub of the Cowley Road area of the city.

'There are 250 businesses here – most of them with English as a second language – I think they saw us as an easy target.

'It will be like the Post Office scandal – eventually the truth will come out- we have been bullied, taken advantage of and we are all losing an absolute fortune.'

A spokesman for Oxfordshire County Council said: 'Sunday was the Oxford Half Marathon, attended by 15,000 people. 

'The city centre and the Westgate car park were exceptionally busy, and road closures were in place until mid-afternoon.

'Drivers with permits have the option of using the Thames Street exit from the car park as well as the Botley Road corridor. 

'Visitors also have the option of using our Park & Ride service with a combined ticket of only £3 which covers return bus travel for up to five people and 16 hours parking.

'It is still early days in the traffic filter trial, and we will be monitoring the scheme's impacts carefully. 

'This includes careful analysis of every junction along Botley Road, as well as considering other measures to ensure the network flows as well as it possibly can.'

A spokesman for Westgate Oxford added: 'We recognise the importance of reducing congestion and improving connectivity across Oxford. 

'However, it's increasingly clear that the traffic filters are having an impact on businesses in the city centre, particularly in the absence of major new investment in public transport alternatives.

'During Sunday's severe congestion, which was also affected by the half marathon and wider traffic conditions, we did all we could to support guests by providing water while they waited to exit. 

'We apologise to those who experienced delays, some of which were significant.

'We're keen to work with Oxfordshire County Council to monitor the impact of the scheme and ensure Oxford remains an accessible and thriving destination for residents, businesses and visitors.'

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