Bristol's Clean Air Zone generates more than £26 million in first year
New data from the City Council's found air in the zone's 10 per cent cleaner, on average, than before it came into force
Bristol's Clean Air Zone has generated more than £26 million over its first year - with 12 per cent of journeys taken in non-compliant vehicles.
New data from the City Council has found air in the zone is 10 per cent cleaner, on average, than before it came into force.
It launched back in November 2022 in a bid to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide.
These new figures show the proportion of drivers paying the Clean Air Zone Daily Charge on time has risen by around one-fifth, whilst the number of Penalty Charge Notices needing to be issued for non-payment of the CAZ Daily Charge has fallen by around one-third since its peak.
Over its first year, after accounting for operating costs, including to the Department for Transport, the CAZ generated just under £26.4 million.
"It is working"
In the foreword of a Cabinet report later this month, Marvin Rees, the Mayor of Bristol, said: “The air that we all breathe is cleaner than it was in November 2022. Nitrogen dioxide pollution is down by ten percent across Bristol and is almost 13 percent lower inside the Clean Air Zone (CAZ). Outside the Bristol Royal Infirmary and Children’s Hospital, nitrogen dioxide is down by around 20 percent. And almost nine in ten journeys through the CAZ are now in compliant vehicles, up from a year ago.
“The Clean Air Zone remains a blunt instrument from national government, who take £2 from every £9 charge paid by motorists, but, thanks to the support package that we negotiated from Westminster, it is working. Millions of pounds of support has been paid out to Bristol residents and businesses to help them upgrade to cleaner vehicles.
“During the same period, my administration has proudly opened our city’s first new train station in almost a century, with another one on track to open this summer. We have driven forward ambitious plans for the future of transport in Bristol through a transformational mass transit system. We have continued to invest in active travel, completing pedestrianisation schemes inside and outside of the Clean Air Zone. After securing millions of pounds over previous years to retrofit buses in Bristol, these cleaner vehicles have seen passenger numbers rise despite challenges. And despite fears that air pollution might be displaced across the CAZ boundary, it has fallen across our city.
“In the face of a national cost of living crisis, where everyone continues to feel the squeeze, footfall in Bristol city centre has stayed steady – even increasing by 16 percent at St Nick’s Market! This is testament to the dynamism and increasing diversity of our city centre’s offer, which will be seen again in just a few weeks when hundreds of thousands of people visit the Bristol Light Festival.
“Some people called for the Clean Air Zone to start before we had secured a penny of support to help people to upgrade their vehicles. We were right to keep working for Bristol, including to secure exemptions for over 350,000 journeys in the first four months of the scheme’s operation, to help smooth the transition.
“And, while some people have called for a charging Clean Air Zone to cover the whole city, like the majority of fellow Bristolians, I remain convinced that is a road best not taken. The CAZ was never about making money for the council: it was about clean air. If our progress cleaning up our air continues, then, in the not-too-distant future, the CAZ should come to an end.”
Thanks to data collected at diffusion tubes across the city, the biggest improvements to air quality have been:
- A 27% improvement at Bedminster Down Road
- A 26.5% improvement at Hotwell Road
- A 27.5% improvement at Park Row
- A 27% improvement at Upper Maudlin Street by the BRI
- A 24% improvement at Merchants Road
Christina Gray, Director of Communities and Public Health at Bristol City Council, added: “Clean air is important in helping reduce the risk of respiratory issues and infections such as asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Air pollution can also contribute to other health issues like depression.
“Clean air is important in helping reduce the risk of respiratory issues and infections such as asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Air pollution can also contribute to other health issues like depression.
“I am delighted to see that the Clean Air Zone is already making a huge difference to Bristol's air quality, which will have a positive impact on residents' health now and in the future.
“Our children, grandchildren, and beyond, will benefit from the cleaner air that we are all delivering through changing vehicle use and our active travel.”
Back in November 2023, the Joint Air Quality Unit found Bristol had passed 'State 1' - meaning it was 'on track to achieving success'.
We'll find out in the summer whether State 2 - 'achieved success' - has also been passed.
Those two sates are followed by:
- State 3 – demonstrated to be maintaining success with measures
- State 4 – likely to continue maintaining success in the absence of measures
It's only once state four has been achieved that the CAZ can be decommissioned.
On Clean Air Day in June 2023, the Mayor announced that the council had secured a further £11 million to help support residents and businesses to upgrade their vehicles, with the eligibility threshold extended to cover everyone earning up to £30,000 per year.
The operational report into the CAZ will be considered by the Mayor of Bristol and the Cabinet at their public meeting on 23 January.
Read more: Data expected on Bristol Clean Air Zone, one year on
You can also find out more about the Clean Air Zone on the Bristol City Council website.