Deceased drivers are part of the hundreds of thousands affected by congestion charge and low traffic neighborhood (LTN) penalties in Oxford, according to an FOI disclosure.
Approximately 13 penalties applied in Oxford’s £5 traffic charge areas andLTNswere canceled as the vehicle owners had passed away, according to data from Oxfordshire County Council.
Almost 257,000 penalties have been issued since the traffic charge began last October, with automatic license plate recognition (ANPR) cameras being implemented for LTNs in May 2024, theBBC said.
The information does not clarify how vehicles owned by deceased individuals were driven into restricted areas, but it does explain why penalties were canceled.
Sixty-four justifications were provided for the 14,000 fines that have been revoked.
These involve two situations where the owners were incarcerated, one because it was a diplomatic vehicle, and four for medical professionals on standby.
Over 1,000 taxis were invalidating their trips while passing through the area, and more than 4,000 were canceled as the vehicles lacked a registered owner.
Emergency services also frequently appeared in the records, with 36 cases where ambulance fines were waived, 16 for police vehicles, and two related to fire department vehicles.
Drivers who are disabled or medically exempt, as well as owners of untraceable and foreign vehicles, also received cancellations.
Over 5,000 of the cancellations were due to flawed enforcement, as drivers were discovered to have already paid for access.
Avoiding the congestion charge — which is strictly applied throughout the year, even on public holidays — results in a £70 penalty (lowered to £35 if settled within 14 days).
The council anticipates generating £5.2 million from the fee, which will be used to fund a new hospital express bus route from the park and ride locations.
The toll in Oxford was introduced at specific traffic choke points in an effort to reduce delays.While improvements were being made to the key route along Botley Road.
The charge will cease by August this year at the earliest, following the completion of works, but the ANPR cameras will stay installed and the traffic filters will continue to function at the same locations and times.
Drivers who are ignoring the congestion charge have resulted in a total of 205,691 fines – with 175,000 of those issued in the past four and a half months.
The street with the most congestion charge penalties is Thames Street, totaling 81,493.
LTNs have issued 51,209 fines since May 2024.
The fee for congestion is charged only to cars and motorhomes, meaning that vehicles such as vans, motorcycles, scooters, and trucks are exempt, along with vehicles classified for disabled use.
Certain residents may request a permit to be exempted for a specific period, while community health or care workers and informal caregivers are allowed free access.
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