Bath Clean Air Zone: Is it pushing traffic elsewhere?

  • Watch Caron Bell's report

Residents in parts of Bath say the city's Clean Air Zone has pushed more traffic into their neighbourhoods.

In March, Bath became the first city outside of London to charge the most polluting vehicles to drive through the city centre.

Levels of poisonous nitrogen dioxide have fallen by 12% in the zone since March, but uncertainty remains about the impact on air elsewhere.

There are now claims drivers are creating pollution and congestion elsewhere as they seek out alternative routes - although the council says it is too early to tell as there are other factors impacting traffic levels.

Councillor Sarah Moore, who lives near Whiteway Road, says she has seen an increase in both cars and lorries there since the zone came into force in March.

She believes many drivers are diverting because they mistakenly think they have to pay, whereas in fact only a small proportion of vehicles are liable.

An air quality monitoring station on London Road, Bath Credit: ITV West Country

"The increase in traffic is obvious to anyone who comes down here," she said.

"Usually this street would be silent, completely silent in the morning. You'd rarely see anything but a bus - and then only every 15 minutes or so.

"Now we've got lorries and trucks and cars and all sorts coming down."

  • Who has to pay to drive in Bath's Clean Air Zone?

Under the Bath Clean Air Zone scheme, private cars and motorbikes are not charged but commercial vehicles which do not meet emission standards do incur a fee.

The charge is £100 a day for the most polluting lorries, coaches and buses or £9 a day for taxis, minibuses and vans.

Funding is available to help vehicle owners convert to cleaner models, and 500 vehicles have been upgraded so far.

In response to residents' concerns, 11 routes on the outskirts of Bath - including Twerton High Street, Whiteway Road and Lansdown Road - are now being monitored by Bath and North East Somerset Council for increases in traffic levels and air pollution. The data is due to be released at the end of the year.

The council's cabinet member for climate and sustainable travel Sarah Warren said it is too soon to blame additional traffic elsewhere on the zone.

"There are a whole range of factors affecting traffic flows in Bath at the moment, so it's not just the Clean Air Zone.

"We've got one of our major roads shut at Clevedon Bridge and we're still emerging from lockdown. We are seeing an increase in traffic nationally.

"There's been an increase in HGVs and light goods vehicles. So we're monitoring the situation closely."