News / Clean Air Zone
Clean air zone delayed until summer 2022
The government ordered Bristol City Council to reduce Bristol’s toxic nitrogen dioxide levels to within legal limits as quickly as possible in 2017.
But it will take five years for this to take place, with the council confirming that the city’s much-delayed clean air zone will finally be introduced in summer 2022.
Older and more polluting vehicles will be charged to drive through the city centre when the clean air zone comes into force to deal with Bristol’s illegal levels of air pollution which kills 300 people a year.
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In announcing the news, the council say that businesses will receive more support to help them adapt to the changes, and people will be helped to upgrade to cleaner vehicles and more sustainable travel habits.
All residents living inside the zone with a non-compliant vehicle will be offered a one-year exemption, while free electric bike loans, cycle training, free bus tickets, discounted car club membership and support to buy electric cars will be available.
Patients and visitors to the BRI, which sits within the clean air zone area, will be exempt from the charge.
The plans also include £720,000 for a new cycle scheme through Old Market connecting to the Bristol & Bath Railway Path.
Private petrol cars and private diesel cars will be charged £9 a day to enter the clean air zone – map: Bristol City Council
Bristol mayor Marvin Rees said he is “delighted that by taking our time to work through the data in detail we have been able to bring forward the date we will reach compliance to clean Bristol’s air”.
He said: “The Clean Air Zone is a complex project. We’re working closely with government get it right and get the best deal for Bristol residents and businesses.
“We’ve gained valuable insight from the introduction of Clean Air Zones in other cities and I’m pleased we’ve been able to strengthen our proposals to provide a significant package of support and give people more time to prepare for the zone.
“We don’t want to charge people, we want to provide the opportunity to work with us – hopefully, switching to a cleaner vehicle and walking or cycling for shorter journeys as well as using public transport.
“The Clean Air Zone will clean up the vehicles on our roads and reduce traffic travelling into the city.”
Marvin Rees says that Bristol is already seeing the benefits of recent changes such as the closure of Bristol Bridge to traffic, the pedestrianisation of the Old City and the introduction of new bike lanes – photo: Martin Booth
Rees added: “The Clean Air Zone will help us create a healthier city while ensuring we don’t adversely affect less wealthy communities and by minimising the impact on the most vulnerable.
“We have a moral and legal duty to deliver clean air in Bristol in the shortest possible time and we’ve always sought to do so in a way that also protects the most deprived households in our city.
“Our new plans will ensure that everyone that needs help on our journey to cleaner air, gets it.”
Main photo: Martin Booth
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