September 58 - Flipbook - Page 12
NEWS
SPRING LAUNCH FOR BATH’S CLEAN AIR ZONE
Bath’s Clean Air Zone is set to launch
on Monday 15 March 2021 as the first
charging clean air zone in England outside
of London. It will not charge private cars.
The Clean Air Zone was due to be
switched on in November but was delayed
due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Bath & North East Somerset Council
considered air quality, traffic levels and the
impacts of COVID-19 on local businesses
and the economy, before agreeing the new
start date with the government.
It means Bath will be the first city in
England to launch a charging CAZ outside
London, which has a similar ultra-low
emission zone. However, the date will be
monitored to account for any significant
developments regarding the COVID-19
pandemic.
The council is currently contacting more
than 9,000 local businesses to help them
establish whether charges will apply to
their vehicles, and how to access the
support on offer.
Drivers affected by charges are also
advised to check the council’s website at
www.bathnes.gov.uk/BathCAZ for a list of
local exemptions and whether they might
be eligible for financial support to upgrade
their vehicle or fleet.
The financial support scheme aims to
support people regularly affected by
charges with grants and interest-free
finance to help them upgrade to compliant
vehicles. Local businesses and individuals,
including those in neighbouring authorities
that have premises and/or regularly drive in
the zone, can apply.
For example, eligible van drivers could
stand to receive up to £4,500 in grants,
plus interest-free finance, to help them
upgrade to a similar, compliant vehicle.
Larger grants are available of up to
£20,000 for HGVs and £35,000 for buses
and coaches.
In light of COVID-19, the council has
amended the scheme so that if eligible
businesses fail their initial credit check,
they can re-apply once their finances have
improved. In addition, these drivers would
be able to apply for exemptions on their
non-compliant vehicles for up to two years.
There are also a wide range of exemptions
available for hard-to-replace or special
vehicles, and to support disadvantaged
groups and vital services in the city.
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Discounts are also available for drivers of
larger, higher emission motorhomes and
horse-transporters (private heavy goods
vehicles) who can pay £9 instead of £100
provided they register with the council.
Applications for all local exemptions and
discounted vehicles will open in November.
Councillor Dine Romero, council leader,
said: “In 2017 the government directed us
to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide in the
city in the shortest possible time. Technical
work showed that a charging zone was
the only measure that could achieve
compliance in the time frame we were
given.
“The council consulted widely on this
and agreed to introduce a class C
charging CAZ with traffic management
at Queen Square, charging all higher
emission vehicles, except private cars and
motorcycles, to drive in Bath’s city centre.
“However, there is no getting away from
the fact that Covid-19 has had a significant
impact on many businesses and this will
be an additional cost that they have to
consider. We have worked hard to secure
a considerable package of financial and
other support to help business owners and
I would urge them to get in touch, talk to us
and find out how we can help.
“We all want clean air and the zone is a
step towards our wider ambitions for Bath
and North East Somerset to address air
quality and tackle the climate emergency.”
Councillor Sarah Warren, joint cabinet
member for Climate Emergency, added;
“It is timely that we are able to make
this announcement on Clean Air Day.
Traffic and pollution levels reduced during
lockdown, but they are rising again in the
city centre. We must address this, and our
deadline to improve air quality and reduce
NO2 levels to within legal limits remains
2021.
days a week, 365 days a year. Charges will
apply to pre-euro 6/VI diesel and pre-euro
4 petrol vehicles, except private cars and
motorbikes.
Higher emission taxis, private hire vehicles,
minibuses, LGVs and vans (including pickups and campervans) will be charged £9 a
day while higher emission buses, coaches
and HGVs will be charged £100 a day.
The council is now urging residents and
businesses to check their vehicles to see if
they’ll be charged.
Drivers can do this using the government’s
central CAZ service at www.gov.uk/
cleanairzone. All they need is their vehicle
registration number. A central CAZ support
service is also available on 0300 029 8888
to assist those with any questions on their
vehicle’s compliance.
Drivers affected by charges are also
advised to check the council’s website at
www.bathnes.gov.uk/BathCAZ for a list of
local exemptions and whether they might
be eligible for financial support to upgrade
their vehicle or fleet.
The council secured a total funding
package of £23.452m to implement the
scheme and provide supporting measures,
such as the financial assistance scheme.
This is made up of £18.381m of
capital funding, comprising £7.094m
for implementation of the scheme and
£11.287m for supporting measures.
This total funding award aligns with the
earlier settlements received by both Leeds
and Birmingham.
Full information on Bath’s clean air zone,
including charges, a map of the zone,
exemptions and financial support can be
found at www.bathnes.gov.uk/BathCAZ
“Tackling pollution is a
priority for us if we’re to
improve people’s lives
and address the climate
emergency. The CAZ will
improve air quality, but we
also need to tackle the
other problems arising
from traffic, and these will
be tackled in our plans for
Liveable Neighbourhoods.”
The clean air zone will
operate in the city centre
24 hours a day, seven
Article courtesy of Newsroom (Bath & North East Somerset Council)
