Possible Congestion Charge in Bristol to Tackle Air Pollution

Bristol’s polluted centre and poor air quality is high on the agenda at Bristol City Council, with a Clean Air Action Plan in development.

The plan will come up with ways to tackle air pollution through a variety of ways including traffic management and investing in public transport and cycling.

The creation of a Clean Air Zone has also been debated in a bid to reduced the city’s levels of nitrogen dioxide.

The city must have a preferred way of reducing the dangerous levels by 31 December 2018 which is also cost effective and practical to put into place.

“There is no single solution to our air pollution problem in Bristol so we must look at this issue from many different angles,” Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said.

“My Mayoral Air Quality Working Group is currently developing integrated plans across transport and public health and we’re looking at the most effective ways to tackle harmful pollution levels.

“We haven’t waited for the government directive to start thinking about ways to make the city a healthier place to live and work. Now we need to agree the right approach for Bristol, which fits with national policy and is fair for everyone travelling around our city and particularly does not have a detrimental impact on low income households”.

The options proposed are:

1. A Non-Charging Clean Air Zone with 17 complementary interventions
2. A Charging Clean Air Zone (Medium size, Class C – all vehicles except cars) with 12 complementary interventions
3. A Charging Clean Air Zone (Medium size, Class D – all vehicles) with 12 complementary interventions
4. A Charging Clean Air Zone (Small size, Class C – all vehicles except cars) with 12 complementary interventions
5. A Charging Clean Air Zone (Small size, Class D – all vehicles) with 12 complementary interventions.

The five proposals are currently undergoing further assessment.

Cllr Kye Dudd, Cabinet Member for Energy, Waste and Regulatory Services, has the responsibility for air quality. He said: “Studies show that around 300 lives are lost each year due to poor air quality in the city, which comes mainly from road traffic, and in particular from diesel engines in cars, freight and buses. We’ve investigated the most effective ways of tackling harmful air pollution and are now in a position to share the best options from our technical studies.”

For more information about proposed charges and the Clean Air Plan in Bristol, visit: https://www.bristol.gov.uk/pests-pollution-noise-food/air-quality