For a day in Oxford, Oxfordshire County Council directs visitors to its Park & Ride to avoid city centre traffic and parking charges. If you drive in, Oxford City Council's Worcester Street car park charges £5.80 for up to an hour on weekdays, and since 28 September 2026 traffic filters on six roads stop cars without a permit from driving through at set times.
Where should I park in Oxford?
Five sites around the ring road, with buses 300 and 400 into the city.
£5.80 for up to an hour on weekdays. Open 24 hours with no height barrier.
A separate area for high-sided vehicles, entered opposite Go Outdoors on Old Abingdon Road.
Key takeaways
- Traffic filters replaced Oxford's £5 congestion charge on 28 September 2026, and the county council states you can no longer pay to drive through them.
- Every part of Oxford can still be reached by car without passing through a filter, according to the county council.
- Oxford City Council's car parks are cashless, and you pay on arrival.
- Gloucester Green is underground, with a 1.83m height limit, no lift and no disabled bays, and the car park is locked at midnight.
- Park & Ride allows stays of up to 72 hours, with a £100 excess charge after that.
Where are the car parks in Oxford?
Tap a pin for prices, the address and directions. Teal pins are city council car parks, the amber pin is private, and purple pins are Park & Ride sites.
Pin positions are approximate. Use the address or the directions link to find the entrance. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
What are Oxford's traffic filters, and do they affect parking?
Oxfordshire County Council states that the traffic filter trial replaced the temporary congestion charge on 28 September 2026, at the same six locations, with a permit scheme. The key change is that drivers without a permit can no longer pay £5 to pass through. The council adds that, with Botley Road open, every part of Oxford can be reached by car without going through a filter.
The six locations and times are the same as the old charge points, according to the council. Its earlier notice, republished by Ducklington Parish Council, lists them as Hythe Bridge Street, St Cross Road, St Clement's and Thames Street, Monday to Sunday from 7am to 7pm (the same times as the council's February 2026 update), and Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way, Monday to Saturday from 7am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm.
Check your route to the car park: the city council's directions to Westgate and Oxpens include Thames Street and Hythe Bridge Street, and were written before the filters started. Plan a route that avoids those two roads during filter hours unless you have a permit.
How much do Oxford's council car parks cost?
These are Oxford City Council's prices from 1 April 2026 at Worcester Street. The council lists the same weekday prices at Gloucester Green:
| Length of stay (8am to 8pm) | Monday to Friday | Saturday and Sunday |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1 hour | £5.80 | £6.30 |
| 1 to 2 hours | £8.10 | £9.60 |
| 2 to 3 hours | £11.60 | £12.70 |
| 3 to 4 hours | £14.40 | £15.60 |
| 4 to 6 hours | £22.00 | £24.30 |
| 6 to 8 hours | £33.50 | Not listed on the 2026 page |
| 8 to 24 hours | £41.60 | Not listed on the 2026 page |
Both car parks are cashless and allow stays of up to 72 hours. Gloucester Green is locked at midnight, and the council's Gloucester Green page lists an extra £5 fee for overnight parking.
Outside the centre, the council charges less. At Summertown and Union Street, its 2026 prices are £2.70 for up to an hour, £15.70 for 4 to 24 hours and £2.70 for the evening and overnight, from 8pm to 8am. Headington charges £2.70 for up to an hour and £15.70 for a day.
A note on Oxpens: the council's Oxpens page lists £4.60 for up to an hour and £30.10 for 12 to 24 hours, with an evening price of £5.20, but doesn't show when those prices took effect. The machine in the car park shows the price on the day.
How much is on-street parking in Oxford?
Oxfordshire County Council runs on-street parking in central Oxford. Its street parking page lists Zone 1 at £7.60 for up to an hour and £15.20 for up to 2 hours, from 8am to 6.30pm, with a 2-hour maximum stay, and £7.60 for any stay from 6.30pm to 10pm. Zone 2 costs £6.30 for up to an hour, Monday to Saturday, with a 3-hour maximum. The page doesn't show a date for these prices, so the sign at the bay is the final word.
Is there a Park & Ride in Oxford?
Yes, five sites. These details come from the county council's page for each one:
| Site | Postcode | Bus | Height limit | Run by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pear Tree | OX2 8JD | 300 | 2.3m | Oxford City Council |
| Redbridge | OX1 4XG | 300 | Separate area for high-sided vehicles | Oxford City Council |
| Seacourt | OX2 0HP | 400 | 2.2m | Oxford City Council |
| Thornhill | OX3 8DP | 400 | 2.1m | Oxfordshire County Council |
| Oxford Parkway | OX2 8HA | Next to Oxford Parkway station | 2.1m | Oxfordshire County Council |
The county council's Park & Ride pages list a £100 excess charge for cars staying longer than 72 hours. You pay for parking through RingGo.
Why there's no Park & Ride price here: the councils ran free bus offers for Park & Ride users through 2026, and different council pages showed different end dates. Rather than print a price that may already be wrong, we link to each site's page, which shows the current charge.
Which car parks fit a tall vehicle, and where can Blue Badge holders park free?
| Car park | Address | Spaces | Max height | Blue Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester Street | Park End Street, OX1 2BQ | 200 | None, but the vehicle must fit a bay | No concession. 8 disabled bays |
| Gloucester Green | Gloucester Street, OX1 2BN | 103 | 1.83m | No concession, no disabled bays, no lift |
| Oxpens | Oxpens Road, OX1 1RQ | 176 | 2.1m | Includes 8 disabled and parent bays |
| Summertown | Banbury Road, OX2 7BY | 122 | None, but the vehicle must fit a bay | Free for up to 4 hours |
| Headington | Old High Street, OX3 9JT | 116 | None, but the vehicle must fit a bay | Free for up to 4 hours |
| Union Street | Union Street, OX4 1JP | 74 | None, but the vehicle must fit a bay | Free for up to 4 hours |
The city council states that motorbikes, mopeds and scooters park free in any bay at its car parks, and that parking charges apply while you charge an electric vehicle. There are no public EV chargers at Oxpens.
What about the Westgate car park?
The city council's Westgate page lists about 1,000 spaces, a 2m height limit and 50 EV charge points, run by the Westgate Alliance, which sets its own prices. The entrance is on Thames Street, so check the traffic filter times above before you set off.
Own a home in Oxford? The guest locked out at 10pm, the boiler that dies on a Saturday with a family inside: a local manager from the Houst network takes those calls for you, and Guestwise manages short lets from 12% + VAT. See Airbnb management in Oxford.
Visiting for an event? See Oxford's events calendar
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to park in Oxford?
Oxfordshire County Council directs visitors to its Park & Ride sites to avoid city centre traffic and parking charges. In the centre, Oxford City Council's Worcester Street car park is open 24 hours with no height barrier.
How much is parking in Oxford city centre?
Oxford City Council charges £5.80 for up to an hour on weekdays at Worcester Street and Gloucester Green, and £41.60 for 8 to 24 hours, from 1 April 2026.
Can I still pay the £5 Oxford congestion charge?
No. Oxfordshire County Council replaced the temporary congestion charge with a traffic filter trial on 28 September 2026, and cars without a permit can no longer pay to pass through.
Can I still drive to every part of Oxford?
Yes. The county council states that with Botley Road open, every part of Oxford can be reached by car without driving through a traffic filter, though some routes are longer.
Do Blue Badge holders park free in Oxford?
Not at Worcester Street or Gloucester Green, where the city council lists no Blue Badge concessions. At Summertown, Headington and Union Street, Blue Badge holders park free for up to 4 hours.
How long can I leave a car at Oxford Park & Ride?
Up to 72 hours. The county council's Park & Ride pages list a £100 excess charge for longer stays.
Related guides
Sources
- Oxfordshire County Council: About the traffic filters
- Oxfordshire County Council: Traffic filter trial to start in Oxford on 28 September
- Oxfordshire County Council: Park and ride proving popular with Oxford temporary congestion charge (24 February 2026)
- Ducklington Parish Council: republished county council notice on the congestion charge locations and times
- Oxford City Council: Worcester Street car park
- Oxford City Council: Gloucester Green car park
- Oxford City Council: Gloucester Green car park, overnight charges
- Oxford City Council: Oxpens car park
- Oxford City Council: Summertown car park
- Oxford City Council: Union Street car park
- Oxford City Council: Headington car park
- Oxford City Council: Westgate car park
- Oxfordshire County Council: On-street parking
- Oxfordshire County Council: Pear Tree park and ride
- Oxfordshire County Council: Redbridge park and ride
- Oxfordshire County Council: Seacourt park and ride
- Oxfordshire County Council: Thornhill park and ride
- Oxfordshire County Council: Oxford Parkway park and ride
Prices and rules are taken from Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council on the date shown above, and can change. Check the machine or sign before you pay.