Blue badge holders will be exempt from bus gate fines says council
John Paine, secretary of the National Pensioners Convention in Oxfordshire, claimed earlier this week that blue badge holders would be fined.
He said this was because the proposed bus gate cameras work by recognising the vehicle number plate,[1] but the badge holder is a person who may not have a vehicle with a number plate.
But Duncan Enright, cabinet member for travel and development strategy, said blue badge holders would be given exemptions if they travelled past the ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras. The High Street bus gate has been in operation for many years but there are plans to add a further six. The bus gate - or traffic filter - locations are in St Cross Road, Thames Street, Hythe Bridge Street, St Clements, Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way. Mr Enright said: "In Mr Paine's letter he claims Blue Badge holders will not be exempt from traffic filter charges. This is not the case. "I want to reassure people that Blue Badge holders will be able to apply for free permits, enabling them to drive through the filters without any charge. "They can apply up to a maximum of two nominated vehicles per Blue Badge holder at any one time. "In other words, the vehicle does not need to be registered to the Blue Badge holder. "Traffic filters are designed to reduce traffic and congestion in Oxford[3]. "This will help make journeys faster and more reliable for free pass permit holders as well as for people who rely on buses."
Traffic filters will be implemented as a trial under an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO), expected to begin in autumn 2024, after Network Rail’s work to improve Oxford rail station is completed and Botley Road is reopened.[5] The proposals for the trial include a range of exemptions as well as free permits, which people will be able to apply for before the trial begins. Oxfordshire County Council's website states: "Cars will be prohibited from driving through the traffic filters without a permit while the filters are in operation. "All other vehicles including taxis, buses, coaches, all vans, mopeds, motorbikes and HGVs can still pass through these traffic filters at all times.
"Residents in Oxford and some areas just outside the city will be able to apply for a permit allowing them to drive through the traffic filters on up to 100 days each year. "Other Oxfordshire residents will be able to apply for a permit allowing them to drive through the traffic filters for up to 25 days each year." Help support trusted local news Sign up for a digital subscription now: oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe [7] As a digital subscriber you will get: About the author Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. [8] He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire. His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.
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