Up to £10 million secured to help Bath businesses affected by Clean Air Zone

Up to £10 million of Government money has been secured to help reduce the impact of Bath's clean air zone on local people and businesses.

The money will be used to help bus companies and other businesses upgrade their older and more polluting vehicles.

In March 2019 Bath and North East Somerset Council announced that by 2021 buses, lorries, taxis and vans will be charged to drive through the city.

Councillors rejected plans to charge private cars.

• [Car drivers will not be charged to enter Bath](http://Car drivers will not be charged to enter Bath)

• Air pollution 'dangerously high' in parts of the South West

The funding from central Government adds to the £5.5 million already secured to help implement the zone in the next two years.

Bath and North East Somerset Council has put in a bid for more than £28 million to help pay for schemes to support those who could be affected by it.

• Could trams solve Bath's traffic chaos?

• Drivers could be charged £9 a day to drive through Bath

• BANES council consider vehicle charges to curb pollution

According to the council, the Clean Air Zone is being introduced to "urgently reduce harmful levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution by 2021 at the latest."

Alongside using the Government money to help businesses upgrade non-compliant vehicles, the money will be used to help delivery drivers use alternatives such as electric bikes and vans.

Councillor Sarah Warren, cabinet member for Climate Emergency and Neighbourhood Services, said any "future revenue from the zone will be reinvested into sustainable transport and travel."