Bikers get surprising green card in planned congestion charging trial

Motorcycles have dodged a bullet in Oxford, as the county council’s proposed temporary congestion charge scheme won’t apply to bikes.

Yes, you read that right, in a move that’ll surprise many riders, powered two-wheelers are completely exempt - for now, at least.

The proposals, which go before Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet on 10 September, are designed to keep traffic moving while Botley Road is shut and the much-debated traffic filter trial is on ice. The idea is to reduce the number of cars clogging up the city, while giving buses half a chance of running on time. And as it’s Oxford, a city that famously hates the car but loves a bicycle, to make life a bit safer for those walking or cycling.

But here’s the kicker: the £5 daily charge will only apply to cars. Vans, lorries, and, crucially, motorcycles won’t have to cough up a penny. No permits, no day passes, no sneaky ANPR fines dropping through the letterbox. Just carry on riding as normal.

From autumn 2025, cars without a permit will need to pay £5 to pass through any of six charging locations dotted across Oxford, with cameras watching everything from Hythe Bridge Street to Hollow Way. The charge will apply seven days a week and, in some areas, during rush hour only.

Permits will be available for groups like carers, NHS staff, and blue badge holders, while central Oxford residents will get their own allocations of free day passes. For those without, it’s either stump up the fiver or find another way round.

The temporary scheme could run for up to two years, or until the long-awaited traffic filters come into play – currently pencilled in for August 2026, although that could be extended.

Usually, when councils start talking about congestion charging, motorcycles end up in the firing line. London riders will know the pain all too well – forced to pay the Congestion Charge despite taking up a fraction of the space of a car. Many feared Oxford would follow the same route.

Instead, bikers here get a rare free pass. That means, in a city where car drivers are going to be increasingly hemmed in, motorcycles could suddenly look like the smart way to get across town. That situation could change, though, as with my cynical hat on (as always) it’s hard not to imagine that when Oxford City Council see an increase in motorcycle numbers on the roads, it won’t want to cash in on them too.

If approved, Oxford’s congestion charge could make life tougher for car drivers but might just make motorcycles the most attractive option for getting in and around the city. For once, it seems, riders are off the hook.

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