Oxford traffic filters: How they will work
The location of each filter has been chosen to help reduce congestion in and around Oxford. The six filters will work together to reduce traffic on the city’s roads.
The traffic filters will be located on:
- St Cross Road, central Oxford
- Thames Street, central Oxford
- Hythe Bridge Street, central Oxford
- St Clement’s Street, east Oxford
- Marston Ferry Road, Marston
- Hollow Way, Cowley
| Road | Restriction days | Restriction times |
|---|---|---|
| Hythe Bridge Street | Monday to Sunday | 7am-7pm |
| St Cross Road | Monday to Sunday | 7am-7pm |
| St Clement’s Street | Monday to Sunday | 7am-7pm |
| Thames Street | Monday to Sunday | 7am-7pm |
| Marston Ferry Road | Monday to Saturday | 7-9am and 3-6pm |
| Hollow Way | Monday to Saturday | 7-9am and 3-6pm |
Filters will operate all year round, including bank holidays.
Map
View a full-screen map showing the location of each filter.
Vehicle access
The following vehicles can travel through at any time:
- buses
- coaches
- minibuses
- vans or light commercial vehicles
- mopeds
- motorbikes
- heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)
- emergency vehicles
ANPR camera monitoring
At each traffic filter site, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras will monitor and enforce the restrictions. There will be no physical barriers.
Each filter will cover a very short section of road (just a few metres). Cars can use the road outside of the filter point at any time without a permit.
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 of £70 (reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days).
Permits
Important notes on all permits
- A permit is only required to drive a car through the traffic filters during their hours of operation. 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. The permits can’t be used for existing bus gates, low traffic neighbourhoods or any other restrictions.
- All permits are free of charge and will be valid for 12 months unless stated otherwise.
- Only one of each type of permit will be issued per person or business. Some permit types allow you to link more than one car to the permit. You can have more than one type of permit type at the same time (for example, you might be a resident in the Oxford Permit Area and also an unpaid carer).
- To apply for some types of permit you’ll need to be the registered keeper of the car which means you’ll need to be the person named on the car’s V5C (logbook) issued by DVLA. If you have a company car or your car is on a long-term lease, hire purchase or other finance arrangement and you are not named on the V5C, you’ll need to provide evidence that the car is kept exclusively for your use.
- For other types of permit, the car will just need to be registered at your home address. This means the address of the registered keeper shown on the V5C will need to be the same as your home address (but again, we can accept applications for company/leased/hire purchased cars, as long as you provide the required evidence).
- The details of the permits offered may still change as we develop the permit system and speak to residents, businesses and organisations.
| Permit type | Who can apply | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Resident in the Oxford permit area | Resident |
Permit allows for 100 day passes per car per calendar year. Valid for all six traffic filters at any time during one day. Maximum one car per person (who must be the registered keeper). Maximum three cars per household. |
| Resident in the Oxfordshire permit area | Resident |
Permit allows for 25 day passes per car per calendar year. Valid for all six traffic filters at any time during one day. Maximum one car per person (who must be the registered keeper). Maximum two cars per household. |
| Blue Badge holder | UK Blue Badge holder or international equivalent |
Up to two cars may be nominated per permit. A nominated car may be driven through the filters only when being used for, or in connection with, the transport of a Blue Badge holder. The nominated cars can be changed as required. You can’t apply for this permit if you already have a disability benefit claimant permit or a SEN school student permit. |
| Disability benefit claimant | Person receiving the mobility component of the disability living allowance, or the mobility part of the personal independence payment |
Up to two nominated cars per permit. A nominated car may be driven through the filters only when being used for, or in connection with, the transport of a person receiving disability benefit. The nominated cars can be changed as required. You can’t apply for this permit if you already have a blue badge holder permit or a SEN school student permit. |
| Disabled tax class car | The registered keeper of the disabled tax class car | A disabled tax class car with a permit may be driven through the filters when being used for, or in connection with, the transport of a person with a disability. |
|
School students with Special Educational Needs (SEN)
|
Parent or legal guardian of a student receiving Direct Travel Payments attending a school in the Oxford permit area, or living in the Oxford Permit Area and attending any school |
Up to two nominated cars per permit. A nominated car may be driven through the filters only when being used for, or in connection with, the transport of a qualifying student. The nominated cars can be changed as required. You can’t apply for this permit if you already have a blue badge holder permit or a disability benefit claimant permit. |
| Unpaid carers |
An unpaid carer living in, or caring for someone who lives in, the Oxford permit area. To qualify you will need to be:
|
One car per permit, which must be registered at your home address. Up to two people can apply for an unpaid carer’s permit per care recipient address. |
|
Community health or care worker
|
Professional or voluntary health or care workers working for a qualifying social care or health provider, whose role regularly requires them to provide health or care services at multiple locations in the Oxford permit area on the same day.
|
One car per permit, which must be registered at your home address. For business purposes, not commuting. Your employer will need to confirm that your role requires you to provide health or care services at multiple locations in the Oxford permit area on the same day on at least one day per month. Your employer must be a registered healthcare provider providing services in Oxfordshire or relevant provider of social care services.
|
| Frequent hospital patient | Patient required to attend multiple planned appointments at a hospital in the Oxford permit area |
Up to two cars may be nominated per permit. The permit will be valid until your last planned appointment, or for 12 months (whichever is sooner). You can renew your permit after 12 months if you need to attend more appointments. The cars may be driven through the filters only when being used for, or in connection with, the transport of the person needing to attend hospital appointments. The nominated cars can be changed as required. |
| Emergency or health service car | Qualifying emergency or health service provider | The car must be registered to the qualifying provider |
| Firefighter | Firefighters regularly working from a fire station in the Oxford permit area |
For emergency response and business uses only, not commuting (unless this is in response to an emergency). The car must be registered at the home address of the applicant. |
| Hackney carriage or private hire vehicle | Hackney carriage or private hire driver | The car must be registered to either the driver or the operator. |
| Car club car | Operator of a car club with CoMoUK accreditation | The cars must be registered to the car club. |
| Business car used as goods vehicle | A business regularly operating in the Oxford permit area |
For collecting, delivering or carrying goods or for carrying tools or equipment needed to carry out work for the business in question. In each case for operational business purposes only and not commuting. The cars must be registered to the business. |
| Personal car used as goods vehicle | Employee of a business regularly operating in Oxford permit area |
For collecting, delivering or carrying goods or for carrying tools or equipment needed to carry out work for the business in question. In each case for operational business purposes only and not commuting. The car must be registered at the home address of the applicant. |
| Approved driving instructor | A Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) approved instructor |
For travelling to students and during lessons or tests only. The car must be registered at the home address of the applicant, or to a driving school. |
| Hearse or funeral car | Funeral care business |
Hearse means a car with special equipment for the transport of deceased people registered to and operated by a funeral care business. Funeral car means a car registered to and operated by a funeral care business being used for transporting mourners to and from funeral venues. |
How to apply
You will be able to create an online account to apply for and manage your permit. We will also provide ways to apply by phone and by email. We are currently developing the permit system, and more details will be provided when the applications open in the summer.