Oxfordshire County Council will replace Oxford’s temporary congestion charge with a traffic-filter trial on 14 September, following the planned reopening of Botley Road.

The filters will operate at the same six locations as the temporary scheme, but motorists without an appropriate permit will no longer be able to pay £5 to pass through them.

All destinations will remain accessible by car without crossing a filter, although some motorists may need to use an alternative route.

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “The traffic filter trial is designed to further reduce congestion in the city, creating a healthier, more accessible and attractive Oxford.” The restrictions will be enforced using automatic number-plate recognition cameras rather than physical barriers.

The standard penalty for a car passing through a filter without a valid permit will be £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days. During the first six months of the trial, drivers committing a first offence will receive a warning instead of a penalty notice. The experimental traffic regulation order can operate for a maximum of 18 months. Oxford residents will be eligible for up to 100 day permits a year, while residents elsewhere in Oxfordshire will be able to apply for up to 25.

Most existing congestion-charge permits will be transferred automatically to the new system. A six-month public consultation will begin when the trial starts.