Government grants final approval for Clean Air Charging Zone in Leeds

Leeds council has secured final approval and more than £29m in funding from the government to implement a Clean Air Charging Zone in the city.

The aim of the Clean Air Charging Zone is set reduce air pollution in Leeds by encouraging businesses to transition to cleaner, less polluting vehicles that are not subject to charges for driving within the zone boundary.

Owners of the worst polluting heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), coaches, buses, taxis and private hire vehicles will be subject to charges. Private cars, vans or motorcycles will not be charged.

The government has also confirmed that £23m of the £29m total funding will be available to support businesses.

Cllr James Lewis, executive member with responsibility for sustainability and the environment said: “Having now received the green light from the government, our priority is to ensure the successful delivery of the Clean Air Charging Zone as required by Ministerial Direction over the next fifty weeks.

“Businesses that are likely to be affected need to look at the vehicles they operate and begin their final preparations for the introduction of the zone. We recognise that this will be a difficult transition for some businesses to make.

“We have not received the full amount of funding that we asked the government for, however, we are pleased to confirm today that a number of significant financial support packages will be available to assist owners of affected vehicles. We will be working hard to make sure this money is available swiftly.

“Leeds City Council will not make money from these charges. Charge revenue will only be used to cover the costs of operating the CAZ, to support owners of affected vehicles, and for other schemes to improve air quality in the city.”

The plans come after the government instructed Leeds City Council to tackle air pollution in Leeds as soon as possible after finding that parts of the city would likely fail legal air quality levels by 2020.

Following this announcement, the Road Haulage Association has issued a warning that hauliers and other businesses will be at risk.

Around half the lorry fleet is pre-Euro VI and will have to pay £50 per day to enter the zone.

Richard Burnett, RHA chief executive, said: “Charging pre-Euro VI HGVs to enter the clean air zone is simply a punitive tax on the industry sector that Leeds relies on to maintain its economy, and local businesses will inevitably be put at risk.

“The goods still have to be delivered and there’s a strong possibility that there will be a considerable increase in van traffic.

“However, it takes approximately 20 vans to move the same amount of goods as one HGV so how will that improve air quality? This is yet another example of the government and local authorities using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.”