Consultation on trial traffic filters 2022

Six traffic filters – designed to reduce traffic, make bus journeys faster and make walking and cycling safer – will be trialled in Oxford after improvement works to Oxford railway station are complete.

The decision was made by the county council’s cabinet on 29 November 2022.

The decision follows extensive engagement with more than a hundred local businesses, organisations and community groups, including bus companies, hospitals, schools and universities.

The scheme was consulted on between 5 September and 13 October 2022.

You said

5700 people responded to the consultation survey and another 485 emails were received my members of the public and businesses, schools and other organisations.

The responses have been analysed by an independent research company: Analysis of consultation - Access checked.pdf (oxfordshire.gov.uk). The feedback received has resulted in a number of updates to the scheme.

We did:

Based on the feedback received during consultation, key changes to the scheme have been made.

• Traffic filters on Hollow Way and Marston Ferry Road initially operating at peak times only from 7am until 9am and from 3pm until 6pm Monday to Saturday. This is to confirm whether part-time filters at these locations achieve the aims of the scheme. The times of operation will be extended to 7am to 7pm only if considered necessary after monitoring.
• Residents based in the Shotover Hill area and residential areas immediately adjacent to Barton will now be included in the Oxford permit area. They will be eligible for day passes to drive through the filters for up to 100 days per year.
• Expanding the resident day passes scheme to include 25 day passes per vehicle per year for residents of Oxfordshire outside the Oxford permit area (with a maximum of one vehicle per person and two vehicles per household) to pass through the filters. Residents in the Oxford permit area, who are most affected by the scheme, would still receive a maximum of 100 day passes per vehicle (with a maximum of one vehicle per person and three vehicles per household).
• Short-term exemptions for patients receiving frequent hospital treatments to drive through one traffic filter of their choosing and for people with temporary mobility problems (for all filters).
• Expanding the permit eligibility criteria for non-professional carers to include anyone with informal caring responsibilities, but restricting the exemption to one traffic filter of the applicant’s choosing.
• Allowing cars operating as part of a qualifying car club to be exempt from driving through the traffic filters.

Next steps

The traffic filters trial will begin after improvement works to Oxford railway station are complete.

The traffic filters will be implemented using an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO) for a minimum period of six months. During the trial, the county council will assess the impact of the traffic filters by monitoring traffic levels, bus journey times and air quality as well as review any impacts on individuals and those with protected characteristics. A further public consultation will run during the first six months of the trial. A long-term decision about the traffic filters will be made towards the end of the trial based on monitoring data collected and feedback from consultation.

Background

Traffic filters are part of the Central Oxfordshire Travel Plan. They will be located on key routes across Oxford to improve bus services and journey times, reduce walking and cycling accidents and improve air quality across the city. They will be implemented under an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO) in 2024.

5700 people gave their feedback on the scheme through a public consultation SURVEY, which was open from 5 September (12 noon) to 13 October 2022 (midnight) . We encouraged you to read the consultation brochure, supporting information and documents - and looks at the location maps - before having your say.

Supporting information

What are traffic filters and how will they work

Traffic filters are designed to reduce traffic levels across the city, making bus journeys quicker and more reliable and walking and cycling safer and more attractive. When they are operating, private cars will not be allowed through without a permit. All other vehicles including buses, coaches, taxis, vans, mopeds, motorbikes and HGVs will be allowed at all times. Residents in Oxford and some areas just outside the city will be able to apply for a permit allowing them to drive through the traffic filters on up to 100 days per year. You can view a map of the permit area here: Map of traffic filter permit area | Consultation on trial traffic filters 2022 | Let's Talk Oxfordshire

The traffic filters will be monitored by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.

Everywhere in the city can still be reached by car, although car drivers without a permit (see below) will need to use a different route during the hours of operation of the traffic filters.

Why are we introducing trial traffic filters? 

Across our county, we want to reduce unnecessary journeys by private vehicles and make walking, cycling, public and shared transport the natural first choice.

This will help us deliver an affordable, sustainable and inclusive transport system that enables the county to thrive whilst protecting the environment and making Oxfordshire a better place to live for all residents.

Traffic filters are part of Oxfordshire County Council’s central Oxfordshire travel plan (which was also open for consultation until 13 October 2022). The proposed traffic filters are expected to:

• Reduce traffic levels by around 20% across the city within the ring road.
• Reduce traffic levels by more than a third within the city centre.
• Increase bus and Park and Ride use by up to 10%.
• Enable new and improved bus routes.
• Reduce overall accidents within the city by up to 15%.
• Significantly improve air quality due to traffic reductions.
• Increase cycle mode share by over 10%.

Traffic filter locations

A zoomable map of the traffic filter locations is available here: Map of traffic filter locations | Consultation on trial traffic filters 2022 | Let's Talk Oxfordshire

The current proposals include six traffic filters. Three of these will be located in the city centre on:

• St Cross Road (immediately south of its junction with Manor Road)
• Thames Street (immediately east of its junction with Blackfriars Road)
• Hythe Bridge Street (immediately west of its junction with Rewley Road)

The remaining three filters will be located on:

• St Clements (immediately east of its junction with Boulter Street and Jeune Street)
• Marston Ferry Road (immediately west of the access to The Swan School)
• Hollow Way (between James Wolfe Road and Dene Road)

The St Clements traffic filter is new compared to previously published proposals in 2019.

Who will be exempt from travelling through the traffic filters?

For the trial phase, the following vehicles will be exempt from the traffic filters. This means they can travel freely, at all times and without applying for a permit.

• Buses
• Coaches
• Taxis
• Private hire vehicles
• Mopeds
• Motorbikes
• Vans
• HGVs
• Special vehicles such as emergency services.

Free permits for private cars will be available for:

• Blue badge holders (either driving the car or being driven in the car) and disabled tax class vehicles
• Non-professional carers (in receipt of carer’s allowance)
• Professional health and care workers (for operational journeys, not commuting)
• Businesses within the permit area using a private car as a goods vehicle
• Residential properties within the permit area eligible for 100 day passes per vehicle per year (up to a max of 3 vehicles per household and one vehicle per person)
• Community transport vehicles
• Those in receipt of mobility-related benefits
• Those in receipt of direct travel payments.

Car permits will be available for all residents and businesses (subject to conditions) located in:

• Oxford City Council’s administrative area
• North Hinksey Parish
• South Hinksey Parish
• Cumnor Parish east of the A420, including Botley, Dean Court, Cumnor Hill, Chawley and parts of Cumnor.

The traffic modelling reports have recently been completed and are now available to view.

The transport and traffic forecasting report provides details and results of the transport modelling carried out on the trial traffic filters proposal.

The local model validation report explains how the transport model was developed to predict impacts of transport plans and projects.

The concept of traffic filters was first introduced in 2015 in the Oxford Transport Strategy which was part of the county’s local transport plan. We have been engaging with our partners and residents over the last few years. In particular, over the last 6 months, we have been meeting and listening to a wide range of groups including businesses and residents. The latest proposals have changed, taking into account feedback from all of that engagement as well as the results of ongoing technical work, for example residents’ day passes, exemptions for HGVs and vans etc.

Decision-making

The county council’s cabinet members will consider feedback from this consultation alongside the results of technical assessments before making a decision on introducing the trial traffic filters.

If the cabinet decides to implement the trial traffic filters, they will be introduced under an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO) next summer for a minimum of six months.

During this trial period, the county council will collect information on the effects of the scheme such as changes in traffic levels and bus journey times and also invite residents, businesses and other stakeholders for their views.

A formal consultation will run for the first six months of the trial period where people can submit their feedback based on their experience of the traffic filters.

At the end of the trial (which could last longer than the first six months, up to a maximum of 18 months), the council will make a decision on whether to make the traffic filters permanent and finalising the exemptions, timings and locations based on all the information collected and feedback received.

Ask for the materials in a different format

Printed copies of survey were available in the following locations:

1. Abingdon Library, The Charter, Abingdon, OX14 3LY
2. Blackbird Leys Library, Blackbird Leys Road, Oxford, OX4 6HT
3. Botley Library, Elms Court, Botley, OX2 9LP
4. Cowley Library, Temple Rd, Oxford, OX4 2EZ
5. Eynsham Library, 30 Mill Street, Eynsham, OX29 4JS
6. Headington Library, North Place, Headington, OX3 9HY
7. Kennington Library, The Village Centre, Kennington, OX1 5PG
8. Kidlington Library, 23 Oxford Road, Kidlington, OX5 2BP
9. Littlemore, The Oxford Academy Campus, Sandy Lane West, Littlemore, OX4 6JZ
10. Old Marston Library Mortimer Hall, Oxford Road, Old Marston, OX3 0PH
11. Summertown Library, South Parade, Summertown, OX2 7JN
12. Wheatley Library, The Merry Bells, High Street Wheatley, OX33 1XP
13. Oxford County Library, Westgate, Oxford, OX1 1DJ

Due to the period of mourning for the Queen we extended the closing date for the trial traffic filters consultation to October 13, 2022.

Engagement event

We hosted two engagement events to explain the proposals in more detail and answer questions.

The first event took place in person at Wesley Memorial Hall. The second event took place virtually, and can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/-zKO6C7za1g