The Liberal Democrat administration on Oxfordshire County Council have pushed ahead with plans for a temporary congestion charge in Oxford, ignoring the fact that two-thirds of residents who responded to the consultation opposed the scheme.
This £5 charge will mean extra costs for drivers travelling into the city at peak times — hitting commuters, families, small businesses, and those who rely on their cars for essential journeys. Speaking after the decision, Conservative Cllr Liam Walker, leader of the Oxfordshire Alliance Group on the County Council said “This is a deeply disappointing decision by the Liberal Democrat administration. A temporary congestion charge will hit residents and businesses across Oxfordshire, yet local councillors – elected to represent our communities – were denied a vote on it. The whole process has been rushed through and has ignored the clear outcome of the consultation, where residents said they did not support this scheme and raised real concerns about the impact it will have on their daily lives."
Cllr Walker added "Oxfordshire is not just Oxford, and our rural communities and market towns should not be treated as an afterthought. This scheme is the wrong approach and shows once again that this administration is out of touch with the reality of people’s everyday lives.”
For many residents in surrounding villages and towns, public transport simply isn’t a realistic alternative, meaning this decision risks penalising people who have no choice but to drive.
Oxfordshire Conservatives will continue to hold the Lib Dems to account and fight for decisions that reflect the views of residents.