Oxford to exorcise fossil fuel vehicles

Britain’s Oxford intends banning petrol and diesel vehicles from its city centre in what’s considered possibly the world’s first zero emissions zone.

It’s a step up from other United Kingdom centres like London which is rolling out an “ultra-low emission zone” where such vehicles will pay daily charges to enter the city centre from 2020.

Oxford’s zero emission zone will ban all but EVs from entering part of the city centre from 2020, with the zone expanded in 2025 and 2030 to eventually encompass all the city centre.

The university city will also introduce reduced parking fees for EVs and electric-taxi ranks.

From 2020, taxis, cars, light commercial vehicles and buses which are non-zero-emission will be banned from six streets in the city centre.

More streets and further vehicle types will be included in the zone rules in later years.

It means bus companies, Oxford city and Oxfordshire county councils, businesses and others will have to replace conventional vehicles with electric or hybrid ones.

A new CCTV system with automatic number plate recognition is likely to be installed, and anyone caught flouting the ban could be liable to a fine.

Consultation closes on November 26 and local politicians will then produce final plans.

Scotland has announced a phase out of new diesel and petrol cars by 2032, with Britain proposing a ban on the sale of all new diesel and petrol vehicles by 2040.

France is following a similar path and the Netherlands government has confirmed a ban on new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.

Mayors of Paris, Madrid, Mexico City and Athens intend removing diesel vehicles from their city centres or allowing only electric vehicles by 2025 or 2030.