Bristol clean air campaigners angry at delayed plans

Bristol's clean air zone will encompass much of the city centre

Campaigners have said they are angry at a council's newly proposed launch date for its Clean Air Zone (CAZ) plans.

Bristol's CAZ was due to be launched in October this year but is now set to go ahead in 2022.

The city council said it has worked closely with the government to ensure it stays on track to reduce pollution to within legal limits by 2023.

But campaigners have said they are angry at "yet another delay" to the plans first mooted in 2017.

Certain high-polluting vehicles driving through the zone would be charged £9 a day.

The city been under pressure from the government to improve its air quality.

Campaigner Dr Christina Biggs wants the council to be "bolder" with its plans

Bristol Clean Air Alliance campaign group member, Dr Christina Biggs, said the council should be "bolder" with its plans.

"We're just angry as this has been going on for years now and there's deadlines they keep missing, they said they had their plans set in February and now yet another delay. We want to know why," she said.

"We don't need to use cars in the centre of Bristol, it is so retrograde and any European city would have a pedestrianised centre.

"I'm not sure their plans to transition into the CAZ needs another half-a-year delay.

"We can do better than that, let's clean [the pollution] up and move forward."

A council spokesperson assured the city will "remain on track" to reduce pollution by 2023.

Bristol City Council will be making a loans and grants scheme available in the autumn of 2021 to help residents and businesses upgrade their vehicles.

Other support measures include:

• £2.1m for local bus and coach companies to help them buy cleaner vehicles

• More than £32m to help businesses upgrade to cleaner vehicles

• One-year exemption for residents inside the CAZ

• £720,000 for a new cycle scheme through Old Market

• Exemptions for Bristol Royal Infirmary visitors, disabled tax class vehicles and disabled passenger tax class vehicles

Bristol's Mayor Marvin Rees said with its new plans the council has brought forward the date they expect the city to reach clean air compliancy.

"We have a moral and legal duty to deliver clean air in Bristol in the shortest possible time," he said.

"Our new plans will ensure that everyone that needs help on our journey to cleaner air, gets it."