Oxford's traffic filters went live on Monday 28 September 2026. If you are learning to drive in Oxford, practising in a family car, or about to take your test at Cowley, they change how some journeys work. This guide explains where the filters are, when they operate, and what they mean for learners and new drivers.
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Our instructors hold traffic filter permits, so lesson cars can drive through the filters.
Locations and times
Fines
Permits
Lessons and tests
The short answer
The six traffic filters
Private cars need a permit to pass through during these hours.
Hythe Bridge Street
7am to 7pm, daily
Thames Street
7am to 7pm, daily
St Cross Road
7am to 7pm, daily
St Clement's Street
7am to 7pm, daily
Marston Ferry Road
Peak hours, Mon to Sat
Hollow Way
Peak hours, Mon to Sat
6 filters
Live across Oxford since Monday 28 September 2026
£70
Penalty, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days
6 months
Warning letter, not a fine, for a first contravention
18 months
The longest the trial can run
Where Are the Traffic Filters?
There are six traffic filters in Oxford. During their operating hours, private cars need a permit to drive through them, and cameras record every car that passes. Vans, motorbikes, buses and lorries are not affected.
Filter
Days
Times
Hythe Bridge Street
Monday to Sunday
7am to 7pm
Thames Street
Monday to Sunday
7am to 7pm
St Cross Road
Monday to Sunday
7am to 7pm
St Clement's Street
Monday to Sunday
7am to 7pm
Marston Ferry Road
Monday to Saturday
7am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm
Hollow Way
Monday to Saturday
7am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm
All year, including bank holidays
The filters operate all year, including bank holidays. Outside these hours, any vehicle can drive through. You can see the exact positions on the council's traffic filter map.
Vehicles, Fines and Permits
The restrictions apply to cars and motorhomes only. Everything else can pass at any time.
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Which vehicles are affected?
Cars and motorhomes only (vehicles the DVLA classes as M1). Electric cars are not exempt. Vans, motorbikes, mopeds, scooters, lorries, buses and coaches can drive through at any time, as can emergency service vehicles.
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How are the filters enforced?
Number plate recognition cameras record every vehicle. If a car goes through during operating hours without a permit, the registered keeper receives a penalty charge notice:
For the first six months, drivers receive a warning notice rather than a fine for their first contravention.
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£70 standard charge
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reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days
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increased to £105 if not paid within 28 days
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Permits for residents
If you live in the Oxford permit area and are the registered keeper, you can apply for a resident permit with 100 day passes a year. One day pass covers all six filters for the rest of that day. Residents elsewhere in Oxfordshire can apply for a separate permit with fewer day passes, and there are permits for Blue Badge holders, carers, health and care workers and frequent hospital patients. See the council's permit page.
What the Filters Mean for Learners
Three situations, three different answers.
Covered by our permits
Driving lessons
Lesson cars are ordinary cars, so the filters would normally apply to them. Our instructors hold traffic filter permits, so lessons can drive through the filters and use the most useful routes for your learning. The filters also create useful learning opportunities: reading new signs, following diversions calmly and planning a route when your usual road is not available.
Arranged by the test centre
Your driving test
Oxfordshire County Council says traffic filter permits are available for driving tests at the Oxford test centre on James Wolfe Road, and the test centre arranges this for you on the day if it is needed. You do not need to apply yourself. If you are unsure, ask your examiner or instructor.
Check before you set off
Private practice
If you practise in a family car with a parent or friend, the filters apply to that car in the normal way.
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check your route against the filter map and times
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ask whether the registered keeper has a resident permit, and remember each day through a filter uses one of their day passes
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if you are not sure, plan a route that avoids the filters, as the penalty goes to the registered keeper
Tips for New Drivers in Oxford
1
Know the signs
Learn to recognise the traffic filter signs on the approach, so you have time to take another route.
2
Do not trust the sat nav blindly
Some apps may take a while to reflect new restrictions.
3
Allow extra time
Allow extra time for journeys across the city while traffic patterns settle.
4
Stay calm
If you miss a turn and end up heading towards a filter, take the next safe opportunity to change route. Never make a sudden or unsafe manoeuvre to avoid one.
Oxford Traffic Filters: Your Questions Answered
When did the Oxford traffic filters start?
Monday 28 September 2026. They run as a trial under an experimental traffic regulation order for up to 18 months, with a public consultation during the first six months.
Do the traffic filters apply to electric cars?
Yes. Electric cars are treated the same as petrol and diesel cars and need a permit to pass through during operating hours.
Will I get a fine straight away?
No. During the first six months, drivers receive a warning notice for their first contravention. After that, the penalty is £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days.
Do learner drivers need a permit on their driving test?
According to the council, permits for tests at the Oxford test centre are arranged by the test centre on the day if needed, so learners do not need to apply.
Can I drive through a traffic filter on a Sunday?
Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way do not operate on Sundays. The other four filters (Hythe Bridge Street, Thames Street, St Cross Road and St Clement's Street) operate every day from 7am to 7pm.
Learn with instructors who know Oxford's roads
Oxford's roads keep changing, and local knowledge makes lessons calmer and more productive.
Sources: Oxfordshire County Council, about the traffic filters; traffic filter map and times; exemptions and permits; Oxford driving test centre permit. Last reviewed September 2026.
