Green activists celebrate day with bike ride
Environmental activists have celebrated the first day of Bath’s new clean air zone by cycling around its perimeter.
Members of Extinction Rebellion in Bath marked the milestone policy by wearing “I heart CAZ” T-shirts.
They each took their daily activity in ones and twos to follow a route around the zone.
Climate activist Viv Talbot said: “People might ask if it is fair to charge businesses to drive in to Bath when they are already suffering under the dual weight of Covid and Brexit but we believe in “The Polluter Pays” principle.
“Businesses have to accept they have a big part to play and need to adapt to a cleaner future.”
Louise Weissel, Extinction Rebellion activist, said: “We know from roadside monitors that toxic air pollution exceeds safe limits in areas of Bath almost every day.
“And we now know there’s a direct link between this pollution and low birthweight in babies. The clean air zone is a move in the right direction.”
Sue Sidey, of Extinction Rebellion Bath, said: “We wanted to say thank you to B&NES Council for listening to local residents and taking this important step towards making our city a healthy and happy place. We’ve suffered from poor air quality for too many years. This is a day to celebrate.”
Local resident and climate activist Suzanne Hetherington said: “Some people have reservations about the clean air zone but it’s the only way to go. We can’t keep on polluting our planet and we will all have to adapt to the new ways.”
Clean air zones are a result of pressure by environmental and health groups. Campaigns led to the Supreme Court ordering the government to tackle air pollution and specifically the levels of toxic nitrogen dioxide.