Vehicles not meeting the latest Euro emission standards could be charged to enter the centre of Bath under air quality plans revealed by the local council.

Bath and North East Somerset Council is required by Government to take action in the shortest possible time and by 2021 at the latest to reduce harmful nitrogen dioxide levels in the city.

No decisions have been made at this time, but the council is legally bound to reach a decision on a preferred package of measures by December and it is seeking people’s views.

So far the council has already assessed and drawn on more than 60 suggestions to improve air quality put forward by the public during a consultation on Bath’s air quality last year.

From this it has drawn up a shortlist of three packages of measures which are capable of reducing vehicle emissions and bringing about the required improvement by the 2021 deadline.

All three include a clean air zone in the centre of Bath alongside a range of other measures to encourage greener modes of travel. However, different types of vehicles would be charged under each of the three options. 

Revenue from the zone is used to run the scheme and any extra may be used to support greener modes of travel depending on government decisions.

A clean air zone is being proposed for Bath in order to achieve the greatest benefit in terms of reducing air pollution across the city with the least impact on residents and the economy.

The council is seeking views on the options and how they could best be introduced in order to maximise the air quality benefits, while minimising any effects of residents and economy, particularly on low income families and businesses.

Suggestions include reduced cost of residents’ parking permits for low-emission vehicles; improved public transport facilities; better walking and cycling routes and making the bus lane on London Road permanent.

Details about costs, charging hours and which groups of high-emission vehicles will be affected will be modelled and considered following a series of public events being held over the coming months.

Councillor Bob Goodman, cabinet member for development and neighbourhoods, said: “Like many councils up and down the country we have to address these NO2 levels and we have do to that in the shortest possible time and by 2021 at the latest.

“We want to strike a balance with a package that can deliver the most benefit to local people in terms of improved air quality, with the least impact on residents and the economy within the deadline to reduce NO2.

“We are legally bound to reduce levels of N02 in line with the government’s requirements. As such, one of the three options for a clean air zone would involve charging certain types of cars to drive into the centre of Bath, whilst the other two options would only affect other types of vehicles such as HGVs, buses, coaches and taxis.  

“As these three options illustrate, it may be possible for us to achieve the required air quality improvements without the need to charge cars, however further detailed work has to be done before a final package is agreed later this year”.

“We cannot do this alone and in finalising our proposals we will need to work with residents, business and other organisations to develop a package of measures that is in the best interests of the city.

“If our residents, businesses and visitors embrace these changes to encourage low emission vehicles or the use of alternative ways to get into the city centre we can expect to see sustainable improvements for future generations.” 

Depending on the class of clean air zone which is eventually agreed, the following non-compliant vehicles will be charged: pre-Euro 4 petrol engines (approx. pre-2006) and pre-Euro 6 diesel engines (approx. pre-2015) (see below).

Vehicles meeting Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel emission standards will be exempt as will electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Other discounts and exemptions will be considered as part of the assessment process.

Councillor Mark Shelford, cabinet member for transport, added: “Alongside this action on air quality, we will continue to invest in more sustainable ways to travel to give people greater choice and encourage greener modes of travel while also investing in the infrastructure needed to improve travel across Bath and the wider area.

“We will also be working with the West of England Mayor to invest in modern technologies to encourage the use of low emission vehicles and public transport and increased take up of active forms of travel such cycling and walking which also have direct health benefits.

“Over the coming months each package of measures will be examined in detail and this includes ongoing public engagement, identifying the level of charges, hours of operation and assessing the social and economic impacts of each measure.

“We want to talk and listen to people’s views because this will mean a significant change for the city. However whatever option is chosen it will have to deliver air quality improvements in the shortest possible time and by 2021 at the latest.”        

To find out more go to www.bathnes.gov.uk/breathe, which will also have details of regular drop-ins and events, how to subscribe to the council’s newsletter. The first drop-in event will be held at the bottom of Milsom Street on Monday (April 9) between 4-7pm.

The types of vehicles that would be included within each of the three options are:

Small Class B charging option with complementary non-charging interventions

The focus of this option will be to introduce charging for Class B at small geography level. A Class B zone would apply a charge to buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) which are pre‐Euro 4 petrol and pre‐Euro 6 diesel. In addition, this option will also include the following non‐charging options:

• Provide additional cycle parking across the city centre in visible locations and pilot a management scheme to improve proper usage of cycle parking (abatement)

• Extend walking and cycling priority schemes and encourage greater modal shift. Provide a safer environment for cycling and walking (abatement)

• Implement reduced residents’ parking permit cost for low emission vehicles (abatement)

• Promote low emission vehicles for Hackney carriages/private hire through review of taxi licensing policy (abatement)

• Implement public transport route improvements including bus priority, passenger information and waiting facilities (target particular routes or demographics) (abatement)

• Use variable message signs to promote air quality improvement messages. Potentially mobile and real‐time responsive signs (abatement)

• Increase the number or usage of existing VMS signs to provide information about parking and reduce unnecessary trips into the city centre (abatement)

• Targeted traffic management or improved bus priority on A367 Wells Road (abatement)

• Sunset period to exempt Euro 5 diesel vehicles to enable longer for upgrades (mitigation)

• Replace experimental TRO for bus lane on London Road with permanent TRO (abatement)

Small Class C charging option with complementary non-charging interventions

The focus of this option will be to introduce charging for Class C at small geography level. A Class C zone would apply a charge to buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and light good vehicles (LGVs) which are pre‐Euro 4 petrol and pre‐Euro 6 diesel. In addition, this option will also include the same non‐charging options as option 2.

Small Class D charging option with complementary non-charging interventions

The focus of this option will be to introduce charging for Class D at small geography level. A Class D zone would apply a charge to buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), light good vehicles (LGVs) and cars which are pre‐Euro 4 petrol and pre‐Euro 6 diesel. This option will also include the same non‐charging options as option 2 and 3, with the exception of ‘targeted traffic management or improved bus priority on A367 Wells Road’, which will not be included within this package. In addition to the non‐charging options mentioned in options 2 and 3, this option will also include the following non‐charging options: • Expand proposal (included in Go Ultra Low package) to introduce electric cycle hire to the city (abatement)

• Pilot car sharing priority parking areas (abatement)

• Expansion of car club network in Bath (abatement)

 

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