Congestion charge pays for some cheaper bus travel

People who work at schools or for the NHS in Oxford will get free or discounted bus travel, and free parking at the city's park and rides, under plans agreed by Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet.

An estimated £5.2m surplus created by Oxford's congestion charge will also pay for new hospital express bus services from the park and rides.

A new discounted £3 combined ticket for parking at a park and ride, and return bus travel for up to five people will be created.

Councillor Liam Walker is the Conservative leader of the Oxfordshire Alliance group at Oxfordshire County Council - he say these changes "are only temporary" and "do not justify the charge".

The charge came into operation in October 2025 and will continue until the reopening of Botley Road, which is due to happen by the end of August 2026.

The combined surplus from the charge and fines is now estimated to reach £5.2m by the time it finishes - by law that money may only be spent on helping the council achieve its transport policies.

A report by council officers claimed "NHS and education workplaces account for approximately 42% of workplace parking spaces inside the Oxford ring road" and hope the measures will make sure using a park and ride is "no more expensive than existing parking options, directly targeting peak‑time congestion while supporting essential public services".

Funding will also go towards a number of other schemes, including making some road junctions safer, creating more bicycle storage and a trial of subsidised bus season tickets for residents in places like Kidlington and Wheatley.

Cabinet member for finance, councillor Dan Levy, said: "There was lots of negativity when we introduced [the congestion charge]. I think that we have proved that doing what we have done has really made an enormous difference".

Once the temporary congestion charge ends, the council is set to introduce its traffic filters scheme - and cabinet member for adults, councillor Tim Bearder admitted that means these subsidies cannot be permanent.

"The traffic filters are designed not to raise revenue so... to everybody who's benefitting from this currently, I think they need to be aware we may not have this money in the future" he said.

Walker said: "We have to remember this is only temporary with the bus gates that are due to come in later this year. This income could completely disappear, so it seems to be a bit of short-term gimmick to perhaps win over certain occupations" he said.

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