Plans to introduce a congestion charge to one of Britain's most famous cities have moved one step closer after council officials recommended the scheme to be approved.
Oxfordshire County Council officials have proposed a daily £5 fee for cars driving on six Oxford roads in a bid to establish "improved conditions for buses" and lower traffic volume.
A final decision by the council's cabinet to formalise the proposals will take place on September 10.
The six roads set to be impacted in the prestigious university town are Hollow Way, St Cross Road, Thames Street, St Clement's Street, Marston Ferry Road and Hythe Bridge Street.
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Oxfordshire County Council officials have proposed a daily £5 fee for cars driving on six Oxford roads
|Oxfordshire County Council previously called for action after the closure of Botley Road, the main route into the city centre from the west, has caused a series of traffic-related issues.
Around three-quarters of the 7,000 respondents in a public consultation have said the proposal will adversely affect them.
Despite this, the local authority's traffic chief Andrew Grant told BBC Radio Oxford the scheme will bring "enormous benefits".
Mr Grant said: "We are lucky enough to live in a historic medieval city and the roads are what they are, they're not getting any bigger but the demands that are made on them are getting more."
Around three-quarters of the 7,000 respondents in a public consultation have said the proposal will adversely affect them
| PAHe added that it would be "perfectly possible to drive to almost everywhere in Oxford without passing a filter point".
Emily Scaysbrook, the owner of the Hoyle's of Oxford shop in the city centre, described the proposals as "disgusting, unfair and unjust".
Ms Scaysbrook added that the "punitive" plans will "affect so many businesses and so many residents".
She said: "I think it's disgusting that they're planning on putting in place this scheme now, before they put in place the proposals that they have for the buses that will address some of the issues that people currently driving face getting into Oxford.
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"It is totally wrong to put in place sticks like this before the carrots."
But traffic chief Mr Grant claimed "enormous care" had been baked into the scheme, which includes providing the city's residents with 100 free travel permits past toll points, and 25 for those living in other areas of the county.
The plans also allow for blue badge holders to designate two vehicles which would be exempt from paying any fees.
Mr Grant claimed the plan will make the lives of traders, lorry drivers and van drivers "vastly easier and vastly better".
The city's traffic chief claimed the plan will make the lives of traders, lorry drivers and van drivers 'vastly easier and vastly better'
| PAAnd council leader Liz Leffman said while the plans are "a bit messy", it is the "only suggestion that's come forward that actually makes any real sense".
She added: "The only thing that I've heard from people is we want to make sure that bus journey times are improved, so we have to find a way of doing that and this is the proposal."
The scheme will set to enforced by using automatic number plate recognition cameras at specific locations.
Subject to the approval of the council's cabinet, the scheme could be rolled out in a matter of weeks.