Bradford Council approve plans for clean air zone

02/03/21 Air pollution exhaust Bradford clean air zone
The scheme will use a network of automated number plate recognition cameras to identify non compliant vehicles Credit: Press Association

Councillors in Bradford have approved plans for a Clean Air Zone in the city.

It comes after the council was told in 2018 by the Government  to bring down nitrogen dioxide levels in the district to within legal limits as soon as possible.

The most polluting lorries and buses will be charged up to £50 a day to enter the area which takes in much of the city centre and out towards Shipley.

The council has been given £39 million pounds to implement the scheme and help operators upgrade their vehicles.

Private cars will be exempt from the charges which will come into force next year.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council, said a number of businesses had already changed their vehicles to more environmentally friendly ones.

It is hoped the new zone will encourage vehicle owners to switch to environmentally friendly vehicles, or upgrade their existing vehicles, as cleaner, less-polluting vehicles will be allowed to use the zone for free.