Drivers issued urgent warning of new rules affecting charges for petrol and diesel cars
Planned price increases for charges could be scrapped
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Drivers are being urged to make their voices heard about planned changes to one of the strictest emissions zones in the country.
Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone charges all vehicles which are not zero emission, or those which meet national exemptions.
This means any ultra-low emission vehicle is charged £2 to enter the zone, while Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standard vehicles are required to pay £4.
For all other motorists driving inside Oxford city centre, they can expect a daily charge of £10.
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The zone is in action seven days a week, all year round, and monitors people driving between 7am and 7pm, having first been introduced in February 2022.
With the consultation set to end today at 5pm, drivers are being urged to make their feelings known about how it should operate going forward.
The first proposed change is to remove any dates that would apply to motorists who currently have exemptions from the zone.
Currently, a 100 per cent discount is available for Blue Badge holders and people with vehicles under the disabled tax class, with a further 90 per cent discount for ZEZ business vehicles.
The exemption affecting businesses was due to end in July 2025, with the council wanting to provide these groups with enough time to switch to cleaner, compliant vehicles.
As part of the consultation plans, the end dates would be removed, allowing the discounts to continue, helping those with Blue Badges, businesses and residents living inside the ZEZ.
The second plan seeks to remove the increase in daily charges from August 1, 2025, which would have seen all charges double.
Oxfordshire County Council said it was looking to keep the charges at the current levels because of the cost of living crisis.
It added that it wasn’t “necessary or appropriate” for the ZEZ pilot charges to double in 2025, with the value of the charges remaining unchanged as long as the pilot is in place.
If the proposals receive support from motorists, changes will be made to the ZEZ charging order to formally outline the rules.
According to a report from Oxfordshire County Council, air pollution in the city fell by more than eight per cent last year.
It pointed to the implementation of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and the Zero Emission Zone as having a positive impact.
Timothy Hinks, associate professor of respiratory medicine at Oxford University, said there is a 10-year difference in life expectancy between the richest and poorest, with “much of that is driven by exposure to air pollution”.
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The consultation will end at 5pm this afternoon
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Similarly, Anna Railton, cabinet member for Zero Carbon Oxford, said: “There is ultimately no safe level of air pollution and we must continue to take action to improve.”
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