IOC chair for clean air alternative fuel vehicle group, Graham Thomas comments,

Just at the point that operators have lined up to meet Euro 6/VI, there's a new standard to consider to attain. For many operators this will mean parking at the end of the embargoed streets and completing the final metres on foot. Many EVs are still hamstrung on range to be coming from too far out of Oxford. Hybrids would be a solution here short term, however, many operators may be reluctant to explore this route as there is no long term support for hybrid technology. Hydrogen fuel cell would be great, however not enough manufacturers have embraced and developed this technology.

Zero emission zone pilot (ZEZ)- Oxford set for August 2021

Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council are proposing to create a Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ) Pilot in Oxford city centre, starting in August 2021. The ZEZ Pilot would be based on a road-user charging scheme.

The ZEZ Pilot was previously referred to as the ‘Red Zone’, while the wider ZEZ was referred to as the ‘Green Zone.’ The ZEZ Pilot would cover the streets outlined in red in the graphic above.

The councils consulted on  initial proposals for a ZEZ in 2017, published updated proposals in January 2019, and consulted informally on final draft proposals  (focused on the Red Zone charging scheme) in January 2020.  We began a final consultation on the Red Zone in March 2020, but this was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reflecting on the feedback from the January 2020 ZEZ consultation, the experience of COVID-19, and the feedback from the temporary city centre bus gates survey in the summer, the councils have made several changes to the ZEZ proposals.

The ZEZ would be implemented through a road-user charging scheme.

This means vehicles used in the zone would be subject to charges, depending on their emissions. 

· Only 100% zero emission vehicles would be able to be used in the zone free of charge.

· Other vehicles would be permitted in the zone, but would be charged from £2 to £10 per day (rising to between £4 and £20 per day from August 2025) to drive in the zone between 7am and 7pm.

· There would be discounts and exemptions for some road users, including disabled motorists, residents and businesses in the zone.