IN FEBRUARY a Zero Emissions Zone will be launched in Oxford City Centre.

This means all polluting cars, could be charged a fee for driving in parts of the city centre.

The pilot scheme, headed by Oxfordshire County Council, will be concentrated on ten key streets in the city centre.

These include:

  • New Road (Between Bonn Square and its junction with Castle Street)
  • Bonn Square (Whole length)
  • Queen Street (Whole length)
  • Cornmarket Street (Whole length)
  • New Inn Hall Street (Whole length)
  • Shoe Lane (Whole length)
  • Market Street (From its junction with Cornmarket, extending east for 40 metres)
  • Ship Street (Whole length)
  • St Michael’s Street (Whole length)

If the pilot scheme is a success, however, the ZEZ will be extended to the whole of the city centre.

Oxford Mail: The full city centre zone in Green, with the pilot zone highlighted in redThe full city centre zone in Green, with the pilot zone highlighted in red

These include major roads such as:

  • St Aldate's
  • High Street
  • Oxpens Road
  • Hythe Bridge Street
  • St Giles
  • South Parks Road    

A spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council said: "The ZEZ pilot is launching in February.

"In the coming year, we will engage with residents, businesses and community groups on the expansion of the wider ZEZ across the city centre, as identified in the proposed wider ZEZ map.

"The expansion of the ZEZ will be informed by learnings on the ZEZ pilot scheme, as well as feedback received during the engagement and consultation process.”