Bradford's watered-down CAZ goes live

30/09/2022 |

Bradford City Council has admitted that it will not meet a legal requirement to tackle air pollution as quickly as possible, having successfully ‘pushed back’ against government pressure to comply with the law.

The city’s delayed Clean Air Zone has gone live - though the city council fought successfully to water it down to the point where just 4% of vehicles will be charged.

Vehicles that do not meet the required emission standards will be subject to a daily charge to drive into the zone, apart from passenger cars, motorbikes and vehicles awarded an exemption, including local businesses.

A council spokesperson told Transport Network that the council had ‘worked to design a Clean Air Plan that delivers the primary objective set by Government to achieve compliance with air quality limit value for nitrogen dioxide in the shortest time possible’.

Despite this, the spokesperson added: ‘The legal requirement would be met quicker by charging passengers cars but Bradford pushed back on this as there would be a negative impact on the most deprived families in the district.’

Transport Network approached environment Department Defra for an explanation as to why it allowed Bradford to meet the legal limits later that ‘in the shortest time possible’ but received no response.

Oliver Lord, UK head of the Clean Cities Campaign, said city leaders who take ‘tough decisions’ to deliver Clean Air Zones should be applauded but said that it was ‘unfortunate’ that Bradford had excluded polluting cars, adding that this was ‘part of a broader issue that Clean Air Zones would be more robust and effective with sufficient support from the Government’.

Cllr Hinchcliffe (second from left) celebrates the launch of the watered-down CAZ with officials and business leaders

Council leader Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe said: ‘Bradford is acting on a Government directive to implement a charging Clean Air Zone. We know that air pollution levels are too high and have damaging impacts on the health of too many of our residents. There’s no escaping that fact.

‘After protracted negotiations with Government the CAZ has been designed very carefully to exempt private cars, motorbikes, and local businesses, while having an immediate and material impact on the air we all breathe. What we have to stop is polluting commercial vehicles from outside the district using Bradford as a de facto motorway, coming through the district but not stopping to do business here.’

The council said its ‘C+’ CAZ, which places additional requirements on private hire cars, has been designed around those areas where air pollution levels exceed the legal limit and is expected to reduce nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by 35% and CO2 by 147,000 tonnes.

It added that it expected that an average of 140,000 vehicles per day will drive through the CAZ, boasting that ‘the chargeable non-compliant vehicles are predicted to be 4% of all traffic’.

While Bradford attributed the low number of drivers charged to the support of local businesses who have already upgraded their vehicles with £30m of Government cash, it appears to be largely a function of the number of exemptions. 

A spokesperson said it was not able to calculate the number of non-compliant vehicles that would not be charged.

Any revenue from the introduction of the Bradford CAZ will be reinvested in further programmes in the district to reduce harmful emissions, which may include support for zero emission buses, further help for residents and businesses to upgrade their vehicles, the development of hydrogen in the district and support for schools to reduce emissions in their areas.

Highways InProfile

latest magazine issue
Highways jobs

Highways Supervisor

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for a permanent Highways Supervisor Forfar, Angus
Recruiter: Amey

Tree Surveyor

£Competitive
We are excited to offer fantastic opportunities for Permanent Tree Surveyors Scotland
Recruiter: Amey

Chief Operating Officer – South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee

£Competitive
We’re looking for a bold, visionary leader to take on the role of Chief Operating Officer Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin)
Recruiter: Carmarthenshire County Council

Clerk of Works - Highways

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for a Clerk of Works to join our dynamic NMC SW Account team at Polmadie. Glasgow, Glasgow City
Recruiter: Amey

Highways Supervisor

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for a permanent Highways Supervisor to join our NMC NE account in Kinross. Perth and Kinross
Recruiter: Amey

Planner - Highways

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for Permanent Planner – Highways to join our NMC SW Account. Glasgow City
Recruiter: Amey

Highways Maintenance Manager

£51,356 - £55,539 per annum
We are looking for an experienced Engineer to join the team as a Highways Maintenance Manager Selby, North Yorkshire
Recruiter: North Yorkshire Council

Highways Maintenance Manager

£51,356- £55,539 per annum
We are looking for an experienced Engineer to join the team as a Highways Maintenance Manager Brompton on Swale, Richmond
Recruiter: North Yorkshire Council

Permit Officer - Internal works promoter - WMF2244e

£34,434 - £35,412
The streetworks Permit Officer role within the highways service Kendal, Cumbria
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Highways Development Management Engineer

£41,816 - £45,175
You will be based in the Highways Development Team and work closely with colleagues across the wider transport service. Northamptonshire
Recruiter: West Northamptonshire Council

Transport Project Officer

£34,203 - £37,067
We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated project officer to work in our Highways and Transport Service. Northamptonshire
Recruiter: West Northamptonshire Council

Engineer - Structures

£40,777 - £44,075
Join the successful Structures team, and become a vital team member Broad Lane Office, Yate
Recruiter: South Gloucestershire Council

Assistant Traffic Management Technician - WMF2251e

£26,403 - £26,824
Westmorland and Furness Council is seeking an organised and enthusiastic individual Kendal, Cumbria
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Senior Traffic Management Technician WMF2256e

£34,434 to £35,412 (pay award pending)
Westmorland and Furness Council is looking for three experienced and motivated individuals Cumbria / Various
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Senior Bridge Technician - WMF2257e

£34,434 - £35,412
We are currently seeking to recruit a Senior Bridge Technician to join our Bridges and Structures team. Penrith, Cumbria
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Highways Network Officer WMF2263e

£38,220 - £39,152
In this role, you will assist in leading the South Lakes Area Highways team Kendal, Cumbria
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Traffic Management Technician - WMF2240e

£28,598 - £29,540
Westmorland and Furness Council is seeking a committed and technically capable individual to join our Traffic Management Team Kendal, Cumbria
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Structures Inspector

£Competitive
We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for two Permanent Structure Inspectors to join our dynamic SBIM team Bristol
Recruiter: Amey

Highways Maintenance Operative

£Competitive
We have fantastic opportunities for a permanent Highways Maintenance Operatives Kettering, Northamptonshire
Recruiter: Amey

Site Manager

£Competitive
We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for a Permanent Site Manager Bristol
Recruiter: Amey
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Latest Video

Subscribe to Highways today to ensure you keep your finger on the pulse of everything happening in the UK road network throughout the year.

SUBSCRIBE NOW