Now Bath is planning a congestion charge
THE historic city of Bath could become the first outside London to charge motorists a daily fee to drive into the centre.
Private motorists with higher-emission cars could be charged to enter a central zone largely covering Bath’s Georgian core.
Tourist coaches and more-polluting commercial vehicles could also be caught under the proposals which have been put out for public consultation. Plans launched by Bath and North East Somerset Council for a clean air zone set out three options, two of which would only affect coaches, buses, HGVs and taxis.
A third would also affect private cars with more-polluting engines. Petrol vehicles with ‘Euro 4’ or newer emissions ratings – dating from about 2006 onwards – would be exempt. So would diesel vehicles with ‘Euro 6’ emissions rating, dating from about 2015 onwards, along with electric and hydrogen fuel cell cars. Conservative councillor Bob Goodman, cabinet member for development and neighbourhoods, said: ‘One of the three options for a clean air zone would involve charging certain types of cars to drive into the centre of Bath, whilst the other two options would only affect other types of vehicles such as HGVs, buses, coaches and taxis.
‘As these three options illustrate, it may be possible for us to achieve the required air quality improvements without the need to charge cars, however further detailed work has to be done before a final package is agreed later this year.’
London’s congestion charge zone, introduced in 2003, charges vehicles £11.50 for each weekday between 7am and 6pm. It is not yet known how much drivers would have to pay in Bath where the consultation runs until December.
Bath and North East Somerset first pledged to introduce a clean air zone in July 2017. In 2015 it was announced similar zones would be introduced in Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Derby and Southampton by 2020.