A CITY-wide survey into plans to ban fossil fuel emitting cars from central Oxford will be delayed again.

Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council have been working together on plans for a 'Zero Emissions Zone' in the centre of the city, which was originally due to be rolled out by this December.

But then, when lockdown hit the UK in March, the ZEZ was delayed, with a planned public consultation due to take place this autumn and the zone's rollout planned for summer next year.

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Now, it has emerged that the consultation will face a further delay because of the second lockdown which has begun in England this week, though the start date of the scheme will not.

A joint statement from Tom Hayes, deputy leader of Oxford City Council and Yvonne Constance, cabinet member for the environment and transport at Oxfordshire County Council sought to explain the delay.

It said: "“In uncertain times and with the immediate public health crisis as the priority, both councils believe that it's right to hold the consultation a few days later, to enable residents and businesses to adjust to a new set of restrictions.

“The change to the consultation start date will not have an impact on our plans for introducing the Zero Emission Zone next summer.”

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The consultation is now due to take place in mid-November.

But the city council's Green group was disappointed by the delay.

Green councillor Dick Wolff said: "Now is exactly the time to be implementing such 'build back better' initiatives."