Call to postpone congestion charge replacement

Businesses are calling for the replacement for Oxford's controversial congestion charge to be postponed so it doesn't hit pre-Christmas trade.

The traffic filter scheme was due to be introduced in September but has been stalled by the latest delay to Botley Road reopening.

Network Rail revealed the major route would not reopen as planned on August 31, after three gas leaks were found during recent excavations, delaying the project by four to six weeks.

Now a business owners' campaign group fears the knock-on delay to the traffic filters will impact the crucial trading period, but Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) said no new date had been confirmed for the scheme.

Bernadette Evans, a spokesperson for Oxford Business Action Group (OBAG), said Botley Road businesses had already been "shut off from 1000s of customers for three and a half years".

She added: "Given these new delays in opening Botley Road, business owners call on the county council to postpone the introduction of the traffic filters so that shops and restaurants can benefit from the pre-Christmas trade."

She explained that without a further delay for the filters they'll be "introduced at exactly the time we'd be hoping for a seasonal boost in customers".

The traffic filters trial aims to speed up bus journey times and reduce congestion on certain routes by banning cars from going through six locations in Oxford.

Drivers will face £70 fines if they enter a controlled area.

Bernadette said: "As always, small independent high street businesses are overlooked when you'd hope the council would pull out all the stops to help us during a cost-of-living crisis."

She described Network Rail and the county council as "extremely casual" about the "loss of earnings, which has caused significant anxiety for many small independent business owners and their families" and called for accountability.

Gareth Epps, OCC cabinet member for transport, said: "As Network Rail has not released a revised opening date for Botley Road, we currently cannot say when our traffic filter trial will start and the temporary congestion charge will end.

"We will make an announcement in due course, once we can be certain about the reopening."

Amanda Suliman Bell, who owns Rainbow and Spoon Boutique, spoke to BBC Oxford, following the news Botley Road would not reopen on 31 August.

Explaining how Network Rail works had affected businesses, she said: "It's been a series of trials and hard work trying to adapt to their timetable, that hasn't always gone the way that they have said.

"As a seasonal business you need to know when to get stock, and when not to get stock.

"Several times over the last three years I have ordered stock in for the new season and they have closed the road or the goal posts have moved and they are digging up outside.

"This latest delay, is a big disappointment for a lot of small business that were gearing up towards the end and looking forward to it."

She added she has been forced to adapt, including closing her store and opening pop ups across Oxford.

She said she was a "bit dumbstruck" by the reopening delay, however due to recent changes in Frideswide Square, such as a new walkway, she has seen footfall increase in the last six to eight weeks and is hopeful this will continue.

Network Rail has apologised for the delay and said it was working closely with SGN on a new opening date.