Bath pores over congestion charge to cut air pollution

Council could be first outside London to target drivers in bid to reduce nitrogen dioxide levels

BATH could become the first city outside London to charge motorists to drive into its centre. Tourist coaches are contributing to air pollution in the city, according to plans drawn up by Bath and North East Somerset Council, which has suggested a charge for highemission vehicles driving into the city centre.

Two of the suggested charging schemes would only affect coaches, buses, HGVS and taxis, while a third would also affect certain types of car – broadly petrol cars made before 2006 and diesel cars made before 2015.

Drivers would face a charge for entering an area of the city designated a clean air charging zone, including major shopping areas and the Royal

Crescent.

Cllr Bob Goodman, a Conservative cabinet member for development and neighbourhoods, said: “We are legally bound to reduce levels of NO2 in line with the government’s requirements.

“As such, 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”.

A consultation with residents will run until December.

London introduced a congestion charge in 2003, which charges vehicles £11.50 for each weekday they travel in the zone between 7am and 6pm, and fines drivers who don’t pay up to £195. In 2013 transport officials announced that the scheme had resulted in a 10 per cent reduction in traffic levels in its first decade.

Proposals for a similar charge to be introduced in Manchester were rejected in a referendum in 2008, and last year Andy Burnham, the city’s mayor, ruled out introducing one in the future after a study explored introducing daily charges of £7.50 for high-emitting cars, £20 for LGVS and £100 for HGVS.

In January Leeds city council announced that it was exploring a charging zone to reduce pollution levels, but its plans do not affect private cars.

Under plans announced last year the Government said it would require councils which contained pollution hotspots with high levels of nitrogen dioxide to produce air quality plans to reduce levels of the gas by 2021.

Nitrogen dioxide, which is emitted at particularly high levels by diesel engines, has been linked to health problems including heart and lung problems, cancer and breathing difficulties.