Oxford’s temporary congestion charge will end on 13 September and be replaced with a new traffic filter scheme, the county council has confirmed. Similar to the congestion charge, traffic filters will ban cars from being driven past six points in the city, but instead of having the option to pay to go through them, motorists will be fined up to £70, says the BBC.

Permits will still be available and will operate in the same way as the congestion charge.

Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport, said removing the option for drivers to pay “aims to further reduce through-traffic” and would encourage more people to take public transport, walk or cycle.

Traffic filters are designed to speed up bus journey times and reduce congestion on certain routes, by banning cars from going through six locations in Oxford. The trial will start on Monday 14 September and will run under an experimental traffic order for a maximum of 18 months.

It will use the same technology as the congestion charge, including the automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. The £70 fines will be reduced to £35, if paid within 21 days.

The council said permits would be given on the same terms as the congestion charge – including for blue badge holders and frequent hospital patients. Existing congestion charge permits will automatically transfer to become traffic filter permits, without people needing to reapply.

For the first six months of the traffic filter trial, drivers will be sent a warning notice the first time their car goes through a traffic filter without using a permit.

A public consultation is due to open for residents and businesses to give feedback when the scheme begins.

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