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In 2024, Oxfordshire County Council collected average daily traffic flow data at 373 sites. Oxford's proposed congestion charge sites are ranked 63, 78, 91, 125, 162 and 200 out of 373 - far lower than many other urban locations across the county, where no schemes are planned.

Recorded annual average daily traffic levels are known to have dropped at 168 sites across Oxfordshire between 2019 - 2024, stayed the same at five and risen at 117. In Oxford, daily levels fell at 25 sites and rose at six during this period. There is no congestion emergency.

It's 7.44 on Headington Hill on a weekday during term time and Oxford's congestion emergency horror show is in full swing. Just look at it! Ahh! Action required! No planned £5 toll here. But, if you get to the bottom of the hill, you may hit one if you continue to St Clements.

We are unsure whether Oxford City Council leader Susan Brown will be attending tomorrow's county congestion charge decision meeting - which is a bit odd considering the fuss she made about the proposals. Ditto other Labour Oxford City leaders. Several indies are going.

OCC have pushed back a decision on whether to double ZEZ pilot area charges and end business exemptions until July - days before the charges are due to automally double, and exemptions end (31 July). Yes, we noticed. No, you aren't giving businesses much notice when you decide.

Ahead of today's Oxford congestion charge vote, a reminder. In 2022, OCC voluntarily exposed itself to £millions in liabilities to Oxford's bus companies to secure electric bus funding - other councils didn't. Today's vote is OCC's desperate mitigation to a problem it caused.

"Only one of the 10 cabinet members due to introduce a £5 congestion fee for Oxford motorists lives within the city's ring road area." And yet they are allowed to impose this scheme on Oxford, insulated from blowback by the city's electorate. oxfordmail.co.uk/news/25242607.…

The proposed "mitigations" for the known adverse impacts of the traffic filters (for which, read congestion charge checkpoints) are eyebrow raising. Yet more LTNs to mitigate against problems with social inclusion. Taxis for almost everyone else. Erm, OK. If you say so.

It is legitimate to point out that LibDems, a national party, recieves a small percentage of votes in Oxford and has a tiny number of councillors. They have no sense restraint, imposing schemes on a city that mostly rejects them while leaving their own wards untouched.

Abingdon-based Neil Fawcett 🏳️‍🌈🔶 finds it difficult to understand that one bit of a city can be congested, and another not, simultaneously. That may explain why he's OK imposing a charge on a road that's free flowing during rush hour - but not on a nearby road which is congested.

Would it be churish to point out that traffic levels on several urban roads in his own Bicester constituency are comparible - or higher- than the planned Oxford congestion charge locations? Or that the LibDem MP is campaigning against road restrictions planned for Bicester?

Ian "car criminality" Loader, leader of the influential white, elderly lobby group Cyclox could try taking a short walk from his office to observe how traffic flows freely during term time morning rush hour at this planned congestion charge site.

Liveable Streets' wheeze is to load more traffic on the already busy hospital approach roads, such as the suburban Marsh Lane. They'll do this by slapping a congestion charge on Marston Ferry Road - which has little traffic, few buses and superb active travel infrastructure.

Patrick Lingwood, ex head of Cylox, ex Green Party candidate, ex-Oxfordshire County Council active travel lead (and LTN enthusiast) Patrick Lingwood woke up one morning to gind a road he owned a house on had an LTNs installed on it. Then a county councillor living in his annex.

Luke: we'll keep pointing out that your company wrote a letter to OCC, pointing out the East Oxford LTNs had knackered their service. And that OBC has deal where OCC may have to refund its massive electric bus investment if, effectively, OCC don't deliver the traffic filters.

Just six months after a public announcement that Oxford's LTNs legal challenge has been discontinued, Oxford Clarion reported the news yesterday. Since our December announcement, there's been the breakthrough West Dulwich LTN win, and a pending traffic filters case in Aberdeen.