29.10.19
Bristol City Council’s cabinet to consider air quality improvement plan
Proposals to Bristol City Council’s cabinet suggest a small area diesel ban for all privately-owned vehicles and a penalty for non-compliant commercial vehicles such as buses, taxis, HGVs and LGVs.
The plan will ask Cabinet to lead the way and allow Bristol to become the first UK city to introduce a small area diesel ban and a charging zone for non-compliant vehicles.
The ambitious plan will deliver the most effective and timely improvement to air quality and push the council forward in getting within nitrogen dioxide (NO2) legal limits.
The Mayor of Bristol has committed to improving air quality by prioritising public transport options, making the bus a more attractive option through improvements to service.
Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, said:
“These ambitious plans demonstrate our commitment to tackling air pollution so we meet legal limits within the shortest time, without disproportionally affecting citizens on lower incomes which would happen with a blanket approach to charging vehicles.”
“Protecting the most vulnerable people from pollution is central to these plans and we have ensured that all impacts have been carefully considered. If approved, mitigation measures will support those most affected, especially those living in the most deprived communities.”
Plans will be presented to Cabinet at the meeting on November 5th through an Outline Business Case (OBC), which includes rigorous technical analysis carried out in collaboration with Government’s Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU).
Evidence includes the council’s own report calculating that the deaths pf around 300 Bristol residents could be attributed to air pollution each year.
If the Cabinet approve the ambitious plans, the OBC will with submitted to the JAQU the following day (Nov 6) and the partnership with the council will continue to prepare the plans for submission.
The deadline for the implementation of the plans is March 2021.