Petrol and diesel cars could be banned in Oxford city centre by 2020
News
14 Aug 2015
Oxfordshire County Council has put forward proposals to help lower the region’s air pollution by only allowing electric vehicles in the city centre by 2020, with the policy to be enforced across the whole city by 2035.
Last year the average hourly level of the pollutant nitrogen dioxide in Oxford High Street was 47 micrograms in each cubic metre of air, which was above the government's target of 40 micrograms.
The proposals and further plans for a zero emission zone have been criticised by John Tanner, Oxford City Council’s board member for environment, while urge Road Haulage Association described them as ‘unworkable’.
Mr Tanner said: “If it means only electric cars in the city centre by 2020 it is a nonsense. It would be chaotic for Oxford.”
Discussing the possibility of a zero amino zone, Nick Payne, of the Road Haulage Association, said: "If you stop lorries coming into the town what you'll have is a multitude of vans and what that will create is even more traffic chaos.
"There are electric lorries around but their range is 45 miles. [This isn't going to work], not the way technology is today."
The County Council will vote on Local Transport Plan Four, which contains the proposals, at a meeting on 8 September. If approved, a consultation will then take place.
