Like it or lump it, change is in the air – so we need to get real
The council has put forward a proposal which would charge heavily-polluting vehicles for entering into parts of the city centre – the parameters of the zone would cover all of the roads within (but not including) the A4540 middle ring road.
The council has said it is considering a levy of between £6 and £10 per day on car drivers entering the zone and up to £100 per day for HGVs and similar-sized vehicles. Let’s be clear, this is not a blanket congestion charge – petrol cars manufactured after 2006 and diesel cars post 2015 will not face this proposed charge.
The council is currently undertaking a set of stakeholder engagement sessions (details can be found on the council website) to discuss the impact of the zone and as a chamber we have surveyed our members and hosted a number of roundtable events with senior council representatives to ensure they are fully attuned to the needs of the business community.
Numerous firms have raised legitimate concerns.
The reality is many businesses will need help in upgrading their fleets or face serious problems.
A number of SMEs based in the zone are likely to suffer and will need some form of financial assistance in the transition period. It is vital that the council works closely with the likes of Transport for West Midlands to ensure that traffic isn’t simply transferred from one part of the city to another. Transparency is also key. A recent chamber report on congestion revealed that 70 per cent of local businesses wanted to see further investment in regional transport systems and the council has said that the surplus made from the charge will be invested into the city’s transport network.
Clearly, we need concrete details on how this money will be spent to ensure full accountability.
Confronting this challenge is not going to be easy, but ultimately the introduction of a Clean Air Zone represents a chance for stakeholders across the spectrum to look at the bigger picture when it comes to creating a healthier environment – one which will benefit ourselves and future generations to come. Paul Faulkner is chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of
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