Agenda item

At the time it considered the implementation of the temporary congestion charge scheme in August 2025, the Committee agreed to receive a monitoring report in April 2026.

Cllr Andrew Gant, Cabinet member for Transport Management, Paul Fermer, Director of Environment and Highways, and Aron Wisdom, Programme Lead: Central, have been invited to present the report.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and raise any questions, and to AGREE any recommendations it wishes to make to Cabinet arising therefrom.

At the conclusion of this item, the Committee will adjourn and will reconvene at 13.30.

The Committee considered a monitoring report on the Temporary Congestion Charge scheme and heard representations from members of the public regarding traffic impacts, data transparency and business effects.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, introduced the report and was accompanied by Paul Fermer, Director of Environment and Highways, and Aron Wisdom, Programme Lead: Central . He emphasised that the primary purpose of the scheme was to reduce congestion at known pinch points and improve safety, and stated that the scheme had succeeded in doing so. He explained that the scheme should be seen as part of a wider package of transport measures, including bus service enhancements, congestion management and hospital access arrangements. Councillor Gant clarified that the key performance measure related to bus productivity rather than speed alone, and that improvements to bus services had been delivered during the temporary scheme.

Members discussed the presentation and accessibility of congestion and traffic monitoring data. Concerns were raised that the current data was difficult to interpret, lacked sufficient context and did not clearly demonstrate trends or localised impacts. Members requested clearer, more longitudinal reporting to support effective scrutiny.

The Committee discussed impacts on specific areas, including outer routes and areas near hospitals, and noted evidence of traffic displacement. Officers advised that anticipated changes broadly aligned with modelling assumptions and that mitigation measures were being pursued, including signal re‑phasing, service retiming and engagement with private schools and NHS partners.

Members noted that continued monitoring would be required as circumstances changed, including following the reopening of Botley Road and introduction of traffic filters.

Members discussed impacts on businesses and expressed concern that promised monitoring of footfall and spend had been delayed due to data reliability issues. Officers advised that alternative data sources were being validated and that spend data was expected to be published shortly, alongside an independently‑run business survey. Members stressed the importance of publishing this information before further decisions were taken.

The Committee discussed customer engagement data and noted that while headline figures were provided on volumes of enquiries, there was insufficient information on the nature of feedback received. Members requested a clearer breakdown of themes and issues raised by residents and businesses.

The Committee discussed the timing of the transition from the congestion charge to traffic filters. Officers confirmed that implementation would follow the reopening of Botley Road and that preparatory work was under way, subject to confirmation of Network Rail’s programme.

The Committee requested the following actions:

1.     That a written response to the questions posed by Oxford Business Action Group be provided and circulated to the Committee.

2.     That a breakdown and summary of customer engagement enquiries and feedback themes be provided to the Committee.

3.     That, in future reports to the Committee, congestion monitoring data be presented in a clearer and more contextualised format, including trend analysis and localised impacts, to support effective scrutiny.

The Committee agreed to make recommendations to Cabinet under the following headings:

1.     That business monitoring be strengthened, with footfall and spend data and survey results published as soon as validation is complete.

2.     That the Council should ensure that mitigations for areas experiencing increased congestion, including parts of north and east Oxford, continue to be developed and reported.

3.     That the Council should ensure that contingency measures are prepared in advance of the reopening of Botley Road and implementation of traffic filters.