The Bristol Clean Air Zone (CAZ) went live on 28 November. Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees has called the launch “an important milestone,” despite it being over a year late, but he adds that increased use of public transport and active travel remains key to meeting air quality targets in the city.
Unlike some other CAZs in England, the Class D approach in Bristol captures private cars as well as commercial vehicles. Bristol’s CAZ covers the city centre and Portway and it takes to five the number now in operation in England, in addition to the London Low Emission Zone.
Coaches and buses that do not meet or exceed Euro VI standards are charged £100 per day to access the Bristol CAZ. Up to the customary £16,000 per vehicle has been made available to upgrade or replace non-compliant coaches operated by eligible businesses.
Among temporary exemptions to the CAZ is one for home-to-school vehicles that are used on services funded directly by Bristol City Council (BCC), Bath and North East Somerset Council, North Somerset Council, or South Gloucestershire Council.
BCC says that it will automatically identify all such qualifying vehicles that are used on its behalf for the exemption, which runs until 31 March 2023. If a temporary replacement vehicle is used, the local authority must be told by the operator.
Immediately after the introduction, RHA reiterated its belief that the CAZ framework is not “set up in the right way.” The trade body says that in its current format, the method of improving air quality “disproportionately hits large vehicles.” It has again called on ministers to reform the mechanism “to better target sources of harmful emissions.”
In August 2020 BCC said it was reconsidering the need for a CAZ in the city in view of changes to lifestyle, travel and work behaviour, suggesting that such a step may not be required to deliver legally mandated air quality improvements. Modelling work subsequently confirmed that a CAZ was needed.
For the first six weeks of the CAZ, the deadline to pay the daily charge for non-compliance without attracting a penalty charge will be extended by seven days beyond the established cut-off of 2359hrs on the sixth day after driving into the CAZ.
