A total of 61% of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) would be prepared to pay to enter a Clean Air Zone (CAZ), according to the latest quarterly Close Brothers Asset Finance Business Barometer.
The results from the transport sector (75% in favour) mirror the UK results, it says.
It follows a World Health Organisation report saying that 46 UK towns and cities are at or breach pollution limits.
Close Brothers found that SMEs are “strongly in favour” of CAZs despite the potential cost impact. Three-quarters of SMEs are in favour of CAZs with North East England and London businesses the most positive, with 85% of business saying they are in favour.
Bottom of the regional list was the North West and South East, both at 67%.
“A Clean Air Zone is an area in which a local authority has brought measures into place to improve the air quality,”
“Initially, it was thought that the CAZs would apply only to buses, taxis and HGVs. However, this was widened to include non-compliant private vehicles,” says Close Brothers Asset Finance CEO Neil Davies.
“It’s encouraging to see transport operators so positive. They are often an easy target for critics of vehicle emissions, but like everyone else they have a stake in ensuring air quality improves.”
Details at https://www.closeassetfinance.co.uk/industry-insights/tag/transport
