Oxford’s traffic filter trial began on Monday 28 September 2026, replacing the city’s temporary £5 congestion charge. Six filters now operate on Hythe Bridge Street, Thames Street, St Cross Road, St Clement’s Street, Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way, enforced by number plate cameras rather than physical barriers. Crucially for anyone heading into the centre for the evening, the four city-centre filters stop operating at 7pm, after which all vehicles can pass freely.

That last point is the one most often missed in the coverage. Below are the details as published by Oxfordshire County Council, with the dates and figures you need.

What replaced what

The £5 congestion charge was a temporary measure. Oxfordshire County Council confirmed on its engagement site that from the start of the trial, drivers can no longer pay the £5 charge to pass through a filter — the payment option simply does not exist under the new scheme. Instead, access depends on what kind of vehicle you are driving and whether you hold a permit.

The council’s own announcement set the start date as Monday 28 September, subject to Network Rail reopening Botley Road on 20 September. An earlier release had trailed 14 September before the date moved, so if you come across the older figure that is why.

The trial runs under an experimental traffic regulation order and could last up to 18 months. A six-month public consultation accompanies it, and the council has published a dedicated consultation hub for the experimental order. Cabinet originally approved the scheme back in November 2022; implementation was held up by the Botley Road closure during Network Rail’s work at Oxford station.

The six filters and when they operate

The hours differ between the city-centre group and the two outer radial roads.

Operating 7am to 7pm, every day (Monday to Sunday):

Hythe Bridge Street
Thames Street
St Cross Road
St Clement’s Street

Operating 7am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm, Monday to Saturday only:

Marston Ferry Road
Hollow Way

Outside those windows, the council’s FAQ page confirms that all vehicles can pass through. So Sunday on Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way is unrestricted, and from 7pm onwards nothing on the city-centre four is restricted at all.

For journeys towards the St Aldate’s and Christ Church end of the centre, Thames Street is the filter closest to hand. It falls in the 7am to 7pm group.

Who is affected, and who is not

This is where the scheme is narrower than many people assume. The restriction applies to cars. According to the council’s FAQs:

Vans and HGVs are exempt.
Motorbikes and mopeds are exempt.
Emergency vehicles are exempt.
Buses are not restricted, as only cars are.
Blue Badge holders are not automatically exempt, but are eligible for a free permit.

So a trade or delivery vehicle, a coach or a motorbike can use the filters at any time. A private car cannot, during operating hours, unless it holds a valid permit.

Permits and day passes

Permits are free. The allowances are set by where you live:

Residents in the Oxford permit area: 100 pass days per year.
Residents elsewhere in the Oxfordshire permit area: 25 pass days per year.

Unused days do not carry over into the following year, and the allowance resets annually. Car club cars are eligible; short-term hire cars are not.

Existing congestion charge permits transferred automatically to traffic filter permits for most holders, and the council said it would contact all current permit holders before the trial began. Anyone else applies online through the county council.

Fines, and the warning period

A car without a valid permit passing through an operating filter faces a penalty charge of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days. Enforcement is by automatic number plate recognition cameras.

The council’s July 2026 release on the trial stated that during the first six months a first contravention results in a warning notice rather than a penalty charge notice. That is a grace period for a first offence only, not a six-month amnesty, and it is worth checking the council’s current enforcement page before relying on it.

Can you still reach everywhere by car?

Yes, in the council’s own assessment. With Botley Road reopened, it says all of Oxford can be reached by car without passing through a filter, though some drivers will need to use a different route than they are used to. In practical terms the filters cut certain cross-city shortcuts rather than sealing off destinations: you may approach the same place from a different direction, or spend longer on the ring road.

The scheme has drawn national trade attention as a template other cities might follow, with Highways magazine covering the replacement of the congestion charge by traffic filters. Because this is an experimental order with a live consultation attached, the detail can change during the trial period — which is exactly what the consultation is for.

Planning an evening in central Oxford

Three things follow from the timings above if you are coming in for an evening rather than a working day.

First, arriving after 7pm means none of the four city-centre filters is in operation, so route choice is unconstrained. Second, if you arrive before 7pm and leave later, only the inbound leg is affected — the camera enforcement applies when you pass a filter during its hours, not to the whole trip. Third, if your journey crosses Marston Ferry Road or Hollow Way, remember those are peak-hours-only and Monday to Saturday, so a Sunday trip or a mid-afternoon one before 3pm is unaffected.

Park and ride remains the straightforward option for daytime visits during filter hours, and the restriction does not apply to buses. For cyclists and pedestrians the filters are not a barrier at all.

Frequently asked questions

When did the Oxford traffic filter trial start? Monday 28 September 2026, subject to the reopening of Botley Road on 20 September. The trial can run for up to 18 months under an experimental traffic regulation order, with a six-month public consultation alongside it.

Do I still have to pay the £5 congestion charge? No. The temporary congestion charge was replaced. From the start of the trial the £5 payment is no longer available as a way of passing a filter.

How much is the fine for driving through a traffic filter? £70, or £35 if paid within 21 days. The council stated that during the first six months a first contravention attracts a warning notice instead of a penalty charge notice.

Are vans and commercial vehicles affected? No. The council’s FAQs confirm vans and HGVs are exempt, as are motorbikes, mopeds and emergency vehicles. The restriction applies to cars without a valid permit during operating hours.

Which filter is closest to the St Aldate’s area? Thames Street, which operates 7am to 7pm, seven days a week.

Oxford Traffic Filters: Driving Into the City Centre