Bradford Clean Air Zone generates almost £2m

The charge only applies to commercial vehicles

A clean air zone (CAZ) introduced in Bradford has generated about £1.8m in fines and charges since it was introduced three months ago.

The charges, which only apply to commercial vehicles, were introduced on 26 September.

Some business owners said it was impacting on their costs and they would have welcomed the scheme being delayed.

However, the city council said the CAZ would improve health through cutting toxic emissions from vehicles.

Lorries, vans and taxis which do not meet emission standards face a daily fee of between £7 and £50 to enter the city centre.

Since the scheme began, the council has received £943,443 in payments for CAZ charges, of which the government receives £182,492 to cover its costs for the scheme.

The Labour-run council said it had also received payments of £909,209 from the 29,020 penalty charge notices issued since the scheme began.

The council was ordered by government to implement the scheme to achieve targets for air quality after several areas of the city were found to be exceeding the legal pollution limit levels for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2).

"The CAZ is expected to reduce nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by 35% and CO2 by 147,000 tonnes," a spokesperson said.

"Up to one third of childhood asthma cases in the city are caused by traffic pollution - the CAZ will help address this."

The CAZ aims to cut toxic emissions and improve public health

However, Keith Wildman, who runs the Record Cafe which is within the zone, said he was having to pass costs onto customers.

"We had a brewery come in and they added the charge onto an invoice and that added 20p onto a pint, because they were just delivering three casks here," he said.

"The timing of this is really not good at all and it is small businesses that are affected the most."

Chris Hood, a farmer in Keighley and a Conservative councillor said it was the wrong time to introduce the charge.

"I feel businesses are already stretched and pushed to the limits," he said.

"I do feel we maybe could have held back with extra costs, it is hard enough as it is."

Revenue generated by the CAZ can only be spent on schemes designed to improve air quality and to help people upgrade their vehicles to meet emission standards.