Dead drivers are among the thousands of people 'being stung by LTN fines and congestion charges'

By JAKE HOLDEN, UK NEWS REPORTER Published: 01:45, 28 May 2026 | Updated: 01:48, 28 May 2026 'Deceased' drivers are among the hundreds of thousands being stung by congestion charge and low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) fines in Oxford, an FOI request revealed. Some 13 fines issued in Oxford's £5 congestion charge zones and LTNs were cancelled due to the vehicle owners being dead, Oxfordshire County Council data revealed. Nearly 257,000 fines have been issued since the congestion charge was introduced last October and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras were brought in for LTNs in May 2024, the BBC said. The data does not explain how vehicles belonging to dead people had been driven into the restricted zones, only why fines were voided. There were 64 reasons listed for the 14,000 fines that have been cancelled. These include two incidents where the owners were in prison, one as it was a diplomatic vehicle, four for doctors on call. More than 1,000 were voiding taxis driving through the zone and more than 4,000 were cancelled because the vehicles did not have a registered keeper. Emergency services were also a common listing, with 36 incidents of ambulances being voided fines, 16 police vehicles and two for the fire service. Dead people are among the 201,000 stung by Oxford's congestion charge fines since the fee was introduced in October 2025 ANPR cameras were brought in to catch those flouting LTN rules, resulting in more than 51,000 fines since the cameras were installed in May 2024 Disabled or medically exempt drivers and untraceable and foreign vehicle owners also received cancellations. And more than 5,000 of the cancellations came from botched enforcement, where motorists were found to have paid for entry.  Not paying the congestion charge - which is enforced year-round, including bank holidays - lands offenders with a £70 fine (reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days). The council expects to make £5.2million off the charge, which will be put towards a new hospital express bus service from the park and rides. The congestion charge in Oxford was brought in at certain traffic bottlenecks in the city in an attempt to negate holdups while works were done to the important route along Botley Road.  The fee will end in August this year at the earliest once works are completed, but the ANPR cameras will remain in place and the traffic filters will operate at the same locations and times. Drivers flouting the congestion charge have brought the total fines issued to 205,691 - of which 175,000 have been handed out in the last four and a half months. Thames Street has seen the highest number of congestion charge fines, with 81,493.  The congestion charge applied to certain bottleneck routes around Oxford while works are underway on the major route on Botley Road LTNs are responsible for 51,209 fines since May 2024. The congestion charge is only applied to cars and motorhomes, so other vehicles like vans, motorbikes, scooters and lorries don't have to pay, as well as disabled tax class vehicles. Some residents can apply for a permit to exempt themselves for a certain number of days while community health or care workers and unpaid carers go free. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.