Oxfordshire County Council has announced that from November 2024, it will be trialling a new way of reducing traffic congestion in and around Oxford by introducing traffic filters.
Here is more information about the new systems and how they will work.
What are traffic filters?
Oxfordshire County Council states traffic filters will limit through traffic along a small section of a road when travelling by certain modes of transport.
Oxford traffic filters will be camera-enforced points on six roads in Oxford and will only apply to private cars.
There will be no physical barriers, and everywhere in Oxford will be accessible.
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If you drive a private car, you may need to take a different route or change how you travel if you don't have a permit to drive through the filter.
Why are traffic filters being introduced?
The council say their aim is to reduce congestion by trialling camera-operated traffic filters on six roads in the city to help lower the number of private car journeys.
They are part of the central Oxfordshire travel plan and Oxfordshire's local transport and connectivity plan.
According to the council, these filters are designed to work together with other measures such as to reduce traffic, make bus journeys faster and to allow for new and improved bus routes.
Which locations will they be in?
The traffic filters will be placed in St Cross Road, Thames Street and Hythe Bridge Street in central Oxford, St Clement’s Street in east Oxford, Marston Ferry Road, in Marston, and Hollow Way in Cowley.
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The restrictions will operate during set days and hours.
Here is a map showing the locations.
Image: Oxfordshire County Council website (Image: Image: Oxfordshire County Council website)
How will they work?
As explained by Oxfordshire County Council, at each traffic filter site, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras will monitor and enforce the restrictions, meaning there will be no physical barriers.
Each filter will cover a very short section of road of a few metres.
An ANPR camera
Cars can use the road outside of the filter point at any time without a permit, and private cars need a permit to drive through a filter when the filters are operating.
Cars without a valid permit driving through the filters will receive a fine.
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Permits
Permits are free of charge and will be valid for 12 months, unless stated otherwise.
They provide a day pass through the traffic filters, but the amount of these per year are limited.
No permit is needed to drive any other type of vehicle through the filters.
Traffic filter permits can only be used for the six new trial traffic filters being introduced in autumn 2024 and the permits cannot be used for existing bus gates, low traffic neighbourhoods or any other restrictions.
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