Map of Oxford's current Zero Emission Zone in the very centre of the city and the expanded Zero Emission Zone which extends from the train station to the Plain roundabout.

Zero emission zone expansion

Any cars or vans can come into the zone at any time, but unless they are electric, there will be a charge.

  • The charges are: £2–4 for most modern petrol vehicles. For much older and diesel vehicles, it’s £10, but you can check yours online.

  • You can pay before you go in, on the day, or up to six days after.

  • If you enter the zone and don’t pay the charge you’ll be fined £30, or £60 if you don’t pay within 14 days.

  • All the money raised must be spent on other transport improvements like bus subsidies or better pavements.

  • There’s a discount for residents and businesses in the zone, for health and care workers, and for blue badge holders and others.

  • Buses, taxis and emergency services are exempt from the charges.

You might still have some questions about the ZEZ. The County Council pages have more details!

Impacts of the ZEZ

Cleaner air

The big impact of the ZEZ will be much cleaner air. Air quality is poor in Oxford, and the City Council are legally obliged to improve it, to the benefit of everyone, but especially children.

Illustration of negative effects of air pollution, including a baby on a scale suffering from low birth weight, a child with an inhaler suffering from asthma, and a brain that is suffering from dementia, all clouded by emissions from cars' tailpipes.

Sensible deliveries

Online shopping is still growing, which means more and more delivery vehicles. This zone will prompt companies to organise their deliveries better, and swap to cargo bikes or micro vans.

Illustration of packages being moved from delivery vans to a cargo bike that says "Rationalise > Organise > Innovate"

How might ordinary people’s journeys change?

Here are some examples of the kinds of journeys many people do around Oxford.
Some of their journeys don’t change - they just pay the fee - and some are prompted to try something different.

  • Illustration of a mother and father with two young sons

    The Willis family come in for shopping and cinema in Oxford regularly. They used to drive all the way in, but now park at the park and ride. It’s quicker to get in and dad is less stressed by traffic when they’re whizzing down the bus lane! As the Park & Ride prices are decent and include the bus fare for all of them, it’s a bit cheaper too.

  • Illustration of a man unloading boxes from a delivery truck

    This big high street chain shop still uses petrol-powered lorries to do their deliveries. They pay the ZEZ charge as it is small amount to them. The council reinvests the charge in cycling support schemes in Blackbird Leys.

  • Illustration of an elderly couple walking arm in arm

    The Hewitt-Joneses like coming to The Playhouse theatre for the evening. They continue to come via their usual route on the Banbury road, parking on St Giles and paying the ZEZ charges. The Council reinvests this by subsiding buses.

  • Illustration of a young woman sitting in a wheelchair

    Suzie lives in Didcot and is disabled. She likes to come into Oxford to shop and get her hair cut. Her car is a disabled tax-class vehicle, so she has a discount on the ZEZ charge and continues to come in as she always has.

  • Illustration of a man holding a package next to a micro electric delivery van

    Amazon and DPD do lots of deliveries to students in colleges. They pay the ZEZ charges, but are planning to switch to micro electric vans. Meanwhile the money raised is spent on better bus connections to the hospital.

  • Illustration of packages being moved from a delivery van to a cargo bike

    A small independent bakery in the Covered Market has a discount on the ZEZ charge as a business within the zone. They use this for the few car deliveries they still have to do, but have swapped some easier deliveries over to a local electric cargo bike firm.