Football fan hits out at CAZ fines

A FOOTBALL fan has spoken of his anger after being fined for entering Bristol’s Clean Air Zone without realising.

Trevor Wright, from Suffolk, visited the city in February to watch Norwich City play Bristol City.

Mr Wright and his partner stayed the night and popped into the centre for lunch at Harvey Nichols the next day. Being the couple’s first time visiting Bristol, both were unaware of the system that came into force last November.

They said they had no prior warning they had done anything wrong until two fines for £120 each came through their letterbox some six weeks later.

Trevor said: “I never saw any signs, my partner never any signs and like I say we had absolutely no idea whatsoever.”

The 58-year-old added: “I’m not against the idea in principle, but certainly if I had known, no I wouldn’t have taken the car into the city.”

Trevor said there should be a way for people to get an email or text notification, much like if you drive over the Dartford crossing.

He said he would not mind paying the £9 daily fee to enter the CAZ but said: “To be fined for something that I had absolutely no idea that I was doing and with no notification at the time in which you’re supposed to pay, something in the system is wrong somewhere.

“It seems like the tourists are going to get hit a lot more than what the local people are.”

Trevor also stressed that businesses in and around Bristol, who are holding events people from out of the city may attend, need to make people aware of the Clean Air Zone in advance.

He said: “Surely the big organisations have a responsibility that bring you to Bristol in the first place?”

Bristol City Council was approached for comment.