Leeds Clean Air Zone: £6m camera system being installed

The £6m scheme to install the cameras has begun in Leeds, but the software has been delayed

A £6m camera system to monitor a city's clean air zone is being installed, despite the project being delayed by months.

The introduction of the scheme in Leeds has been "significantly postponed" due to a government delay, the city council said last week.

About 300 cameras are being placed at more than 100 junctions.

Leeds City Council said the cameras cannot detect vehicle speeds or be used to issue speeding fines.

Vehicle checking software required to make the zones operational and enforceable was expected to be delivered by the government by October.

Last week council announced the tool has been delayed until December, which will put back the proposed January start date.

Leeds City Council said it did not know when the software required would be operational.

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The government has previously been contacted for a response.

The government instructed the council to introduce a Clean Air Zone to tackle air pollution after predicting parts of the city would fail legal air quality levels by 2020.

The zone will charge owners of the worst polluting HGVs, buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles. Private cars, light good vehicles, and motorcycles will not be charged.

Leeds' zone will see a £50 daily charge for non-compliant buses, coaches, and HGVs, with a £12.50 charge for non-compliant taxi and private hire vehicles.

This map shows the clean air zone envisaged for Leeds.