Pollution 'lower outside Clean Air Zone than in it'

There has been an overall NO2 reduction of 16% across the CAZ area since its launch

Pollution dropped "significantly" across Sheffield after the introduction of the city's first Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in 2023, officials have claimed.

Lorries, vans, taxis, buses and coaches have been charged to enter the city centre and ring road since last February, though private cars are exempt.

Sheffield City Council's monitoring found that nitrogen dioxide levels had fallen by 16% across the CAZ since its launch.

However, outside of the CAZ boundaries there was actually a greater reduction in pollution levels, by 21%.

'Fantastic achievement'

Inside the zone, the Arundle Gate "bus gate" area saw a 27% reduction, meaning it went from non-compliant to within legal levels of pollution during the CAZ's first year.

However, five of the monitored locations had pollution levels that were still above legal limits.

The chair of the council's transport and regeneration committee, Councillor Ben Miskell, said: “I’m really pleased to share that air quality in the city is improving.

"Data collected as part of the Clean Air Zone shows that air pollution caused by vehicles has dropped right across the city, and we’re seeing that more and more people and business are making the switch to cleaner vehicles - it’s a fantastic achievement for Sheffield."

The Arundel Gate bus gate zone has seen the biggest improvement in air quality

Mr Miskell acknowledged that the improvements in air quality were "just a start" and there was "still work to do".

Explaining the greater fall in harmful fumes away from the zone, Mr Miskell said there were differences due to "condensed settings" for traffic.

In 2022, there were 22 locations in Sheffield that exceeded legal nitrous dioxide limits, a number that had fallen to just five a year later.

The locations within the CAZ that remained a concern for air pollution were Waingate; Attercliffe Road; Sheaf Street; Meadowhall Road and Arundel Gate Interchange.

The scheme faced criticism from some drivers who had not received grant funding despite upgrading their vehicles.

The council also had to issue a number of refunds in July 2023 when £500,000 of congestion zone fines were issued with the wrong time.

Mr Miskell also accepted that investment would have to be made in public transport to further reduce private car use.

He added: "Sheffield's bus fleet needs to become cleaner and greener. We have ambitions for a zero-emission bus fleet across the region and will continue to work closely with ministers, operators and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to explore future opportunities."