Clean Air Charging Zone proposals unveiled

Leeds City Council has outlined its final plans to reduce air pollution, including the introduction of a Clean Air Charging Zone (CAZ).

Senior councillors will publicly discuss the plans at the October meeting of the council’s executive board before they will be submitted to the government for approval.

The key elements of the council’s proposals are:

• A Clean Air Charging Zone covering more than half of the city will be introduced from 6 January 2020 and monitored using a network of purpose-built cameras.
• Charging the worst polluting heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles only.
• Requesting £27m in funding from the government’s £220m Clean Air Fund to support businesses to upgrade or retrofit affected vehicles through grants and interest-free loans.
• Bidding for £13m in funding from the government’s £255m Implementation Fund to cover costs associated with the infrastructure and operation of the zone.

The proposals come after the government instructed the council to outline plans to tackle air pollution in Leeds after identifying some parts of the city as being likely to fail legal air quality levels by 2020.

Cllr James Lewis, executive member with responsibility for sustainability and the environment, said: “Like more than three quarters of residents, we believe that tackling air pollution should be a priority for Leeds.

“The plans we’re putting forward have been carefully developed following months of consultation with thousands of residents and local businesses to ensure they are the best plans for Leeds. They will improve air quality within the shortest possible time, tackling air pollution and protecting the health of everyone in the city.

He added: “A key element of these proposals is the support we’re proposing to help affected local businesses transition to cleaner vehicles which avoid charges. We believe that it is important to help local businesses in order for the zone to most successfully reduce pollution.

“We will therefore be asking the government for around £27m from the national Clean Air Fund to enable us to help businesses transition to cleaner vehicles which avoid charges. We look forward to continuing working closely with the government to ensure the successful and timely delivery of the Clean Air Charging Zone in Leeds.”