New rules stopping drivers entering some areas coming from summer 2026

Drivers face new fines for entering areas of towns and cities with the first scheme set to come into force later this year. Oxford will see new 'filters' issuing fines for drivers who enter parts of the city, and the scheme could be rolled out across the UK.

The 'filters' will operate like bus lanes, with ANPR cameras detecting number plates and issuing fines to drivers who break the rules. Under the scheme, most drivers will need to apply for a permit that will allow them to go through the filters for up to 100 days a year without being fined.

The rules will come into force in August this year.

Greg Smith, shadow transport minister, told Pulse Media: “This is the blueprint for a national rollout. Labour has given the green light for draconian councils like Oxfordshire to police how people live, move and drive, using cameras and fines backed by DVLA data.

“Oxford is the test case, but this is Labour’s blueprint for the country.”

Duncan White, director of the Alliance of British Drivers told the Telegraph: “It is an encroachment on civil liberties, and it is a page out of the East Germany playbook. With the 15-minute city, you will have to, in effect, apply for an internal passport to go and visit your granny. From a civil liberties perspective, it is nonsensical. From an operational point of view, it is bizarre.”

The Oxford scheme was originally called a '15-minute-city' as by 2040 the councils want everyone to be able to access all community services with a 15-minute walk from their home. This led to the idea that people would be 'banned' from travelling more than 15 minutes away from their houses, and the terminology was dropped.

Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council say there will be no physical barriers, and people will be able to go anywhere they want to. In a joint statement, they said: "Residents will still be able to drive to every part of the city at any time – but in the future, during certain times of the day, you may need to take a different route (e.g. using the ring road) if you want to travel by car.

"The reason we have proposed these changes is because – as everyone who lives and visits Oxford knows – the city has had awful congestion for decades. This is damaging both our economy and our environment, and is making the bus network unviable.

"Our aim is to reduce traffic levels and congestion, make the buses faster and more reliable, and make cycling and walking safer and more pleasant. "

Buses and taxis will be able to pass through the traffic filters freely at all times, people can walk or cycle through them at all times, and there will be exemptions and permits for blue badge holders, emergency services, health workers and both professional and non-professional care workers. People receiving frequent hospital treatments will also be eligible to drive through the filters.

Oxford residents (and residents of some surrounding villages) will be able to apply for a permit to drive through the filters on up to 100 days a year. Residents living in the rest of Oxfordshire will be able to apply for a permit to drive through the filter on up to 25 days a year.

The Telegraph says councils across the country could follow Oxford’s lead and introduce camera-enforced traffic filters. A Department for Transport spokesman said: “Local councils use DVLA data to help keep our roads safe and crack down on dangerous driving. How they use this information is up to each council, so it works best for their communities.”