An appeal to raise funds to mount a legal challenge to Oxford's traffic filters has raised £50,000 of its £80,000 goal in three months.
A single donation from hotelier Jeremy Mogford's hospitality group The Oxford Collection is as high £5,000 and there are several of £1,000 from The Oxford Business Action Group (OBAG), Oxford High Street Association (OHSA) and ROX (Backing Oxford Business) and Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra.
A donation of £3,000 has been made by 'a very concerned North Oxford resident' and £500 from a member of a local parish council.
The Go Fund Me appeal has had 551 donations since it started in November 2022.
The traffic filters will be installed as a trial on six roads in Oxford in 2024.
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They will be located on St Cross Road, Thames Street, St Clements and Hythe Bridge Street, Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way.
Any driver going through a filter who is neither exempt nor using a permit would be charged a £70 penalty.
Blue-badge holders will be exempt from the scheme, and no restrictions will apply to cyclists, e-scooters, mopeds, buses, vans, taxis and emergency vehicles, in an effort to promote green travel.
A consultation of 5,700 residents found mixed responses and the scheme may yet be delayed because of work to upgrade Oxford train station.
The appeal is organised by Jeremy Mogford, of hospitality group The Oxford Collection.
He said: "My watchword in business and in life has always been to be practical, sensible and balanced.
"I sincerely believe that the imposition of these bus gates (traffic filters/road restrictions/road closures) will adversely affect everyone, whether residents or visitors to the city, our business, and many independent and long-loved Oxford businesses."
The key grounds for the legal action relate to a deficient consultation process, non-disclosure of data to support the traffic filters within reasonable timeframes of the consultation and, the group believes, an absence of impact assessments prior to making the decision or, if any impact assessments have been made, to make them publicly available.
Mr Mogford said: "The traffic filters/road closures will not only affect everyone living within the city but, more importantly, will seriously affect the additional 750,000 residents who live in the catchment area surrounding the city... a hugely important market for the Oxford’s economic viability.
"If every household against Oxford’s traffic filters or some of the thousands that signed anti-traffic filter petitions donated just £10, we would be able to reach our target.
"We have established that there is a case for a ‘judicial review’, (a procedure by which a court can review an administrative action by a public body and prevent that action from being implemented) and we have decided to embark on a fund raising campaign to pay for the inevitable expenses required to resort to the law."
A leading Oxford law firm, have been instructed and the first step has been taken by issuing a letter of intention to Oxfordshire County Council.
The county council has said it cannot comment on any legal challenge at this stage.
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A spokesperson said: “The county council cannot comment on any legal challenge at this stage.
"Traffic filters on main roads have been part of Oxford’s transport strategy since 2015, including the recently adopted Local Transport and Connectivity Plan. The county council has been engaging with partners and members of the public on these plans over the last few years.
"Following feedback from partners, the council put forward plans to introduce the traffic filters as an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO), to test the scheme and make changes if needed, before making a long-term decision on the trial.
"The latest traffic filter proposals were consulted on from 5 September to 13 October 2022. Regulations require a highway authority to consult with statutory consultees, such as the emergency services, before introducing an ETRO.
"Given the wide-ranging nature of this scheme, a more comprehensive public consultation was undertaken, to include the statutory consultees, but also to invite comment from the wider public.
"The council received 5,700 responses to the public consultation, with another 485 emails from members of the public and organisations. These responses were analysed by an independent research company.
"Further changes have been recommended based on the feedback from the public consultation.
"The council council’s cabinet decided on 29 November to trial the filters after the improvement works to the Oxford railways station are complete.
"A second public consultation will take place during the trial of the filters. This will allow people to give their views based on their experience of the traffic filters.”
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This story was written by Miranda Norris, she joined the team in 2021 and covers news across Oxfordshire as well as news from Witney.
Get in touch with her by emailing: Miranda.Norris@newsquest.co.uk. Or find her on Twitter: @Mirandajnorris
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