Western Daily Press (Saturday)
City awaits result of bid for clean air zone cash
CENTRAL government will reveal next week what measures it will fund to limit the impact Bath’s clean air zone will have on residents and businesses.
Council leaders submitted a £40 million bid to help it create infrastructure for electric vehicles, extend the opening hours of park-and-ride sites and review residents’ parking zones.
Other authorities have received less than they wanted, had their requests rejected or been forced to implement alternative proposals.
The previous Conservative cabinet at Bath and North East Somerset Council agreed in March to introduce a class C zone, charging the worst polluting vehicles to enter but not private cars.
The Liberal Democrats, who have a majority following the May elections, said they wanted to re-examine the evidence behind the scheme, but leader Dine Romero has promised that private cars will not be charged.
A report will be presented to cabinet in September.
The clean air zone, aimed at reducing harmful levels of nitrogen dioxide, will be in place in Bath from 2021.
Under the agreed plans, taxis, private hire vehicles, minibuses and vans that do not meet minimum standards will pay £9 per day. High-polluting buses, coaches and lorries will have to pay £100 if they travel into the city centre.
An update to the first meeting of the new climate sustainability and environment policy development and scrutiny panel next week says B&NES is expected to hear back from central government on July 26 about the package of mitigation measures it requested, which will cost around £40 million. The measures include:
Financial assistance schemes for businesses, community groups and
individuals with non-compliant vehicles;
■ A sustainable transport and travel team;
■ Electric vehicle charging points targeted at LGV/van drivers;
■ A revised park-and-ride offer including extended site opening hours, additional security and a free concession for LGV/van drivers;
■ Delivery and servicing plan support for businesses within the zone;
■ Additional ‘last mile’ delivery infrastructure – electric cargo bikes, electric vans and local distribution hubs – for businesses within the zone;
■ Policy and implementation of on/ off street charging points;
■ Enforcement of anti-idling and weight restrictions;
■ A review of existing and implementation of new residents parking zones.
There is also a programme to retrofit all the buses that enter Bath so they comply with the clean air zone requirements.
The scrutiny panel report says councillors in Coventry had its request for an £80 million package of mitigation measures rejected.
It was told to implement a class D clean air zone – one that charges all of the worst polluting vehicles including private cars – to deliver compliance with nitrogen dioxide levels as soon as possible.
Birmingham is set to introduce a class D zone from January 1 next year. It requested £68 million from the clean air fund and was awarded £52 million.
The report says income from the clean air zone will be used by B&NES to improve public transport, which could include expanding existing park and ride facilities or adding small new ones.