Emergency vehicles to be charged in clean air zone

A four-year exemption had been in place in Bath to allow emergency services to upgrade their fleets

Some police cars, ambulances and fire engines will be charged to enter Bath's clean air zone from next month after a four-year exemption ended.

From 14 March, emergency service vehicles, including those used by voluntary support groups, will have to pay if they do not meet the zone's emission standards.

Bath & North East Somerset Council has insisted that only a limited number of vehicles will be affected.

However, more than half of Avon Fire Authority's fleet is not yet compliant and it will take another six years for it to become so, according to a report.

Avon Fire & Rescue has not been able to upgrade its fleet yet

The report outlines a request for councillors to approve a three-year budget that includes a £4.8m investment in the fire service's fleet, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The document, which will be presented to the Avon Fire Authority committee on Friday, said electric and hydrogen vehicles were roughly twice the cost of petrol and diesel models.

Avon and Somerset Police, meanwhile, appears to be better prepared for the end of the exemption.

A force spokesperson said its fleet now has more than 200 hybrid and electric vehicles, with just 66 vehicles currently subject to the clean air charge, of which half are due to be replaced imminently.

Bath introduced its clean air zone in 2021

The force said just one non-compliant vehicle was stationed at Bath, with its replacement due before the exemption ends.

The spokesperson underlined the importance of collaboration with the council in reducing the emissions of the police fleet, and said the force had won the "public sector car fleet of the year" category at the Green Fleet Awards in 2024.

Deputy council leader Sarah Warren said the authority had "worked closely with emergency service providers" since the introduction of the CAZ in 2021.

She said the council was "continuing our conversations" regarding non-compliant vehicles to support changes such as upgrades and retrofitting.

A spokesperson for the the fire service said it was in negotiations with the council.