Liverpool moves closer to clean air zone congestion charge

Vehicles would be charged for using roads within a clean air zone in Liverpool city centre

Liverpool has moved closer to introducing a congestion charge for the city centre as part of efforts to improve air quality.

Councillors have approved plans to launch a public consultation on the creation of a clean air zone.

A study found more than 1,000 deaths a year in the Liverpool City Region could be linked to air pollution.

Frank McKenna, from the Downtown in Business network, called the summer consultation's timing "insensitive".

At a Liverpool City Council virtual cabinet meeting, councillors approved plans to consult residents on the potential for the creation of a clean air zone in the city centre, with vehicles charged for using roads within the zone.

Clean air zones have been introduced in London and Bath and are due to begin in other cities including Bradford, Bristol and Birmingham.

The authority said it was required by the government in 2018 to produce a Clean Air Plan that would bring nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels within the legal minimum levels "in the shortest possible time".

It said this was estimated to be the end of the 2022-23 financial year, subject to agreement with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Frank McKenna said 8,500 Liverpool businesses were "in significant distress"

Mr McKenna said he had spoken to local authorities about plans for the economy after lockdown and said the charge's impact on workforces needed to be examined.

"We've got 8,500 Liverpool businesses in significant distress, we've just seen our high street decimated and people on a daily basis getting redundancy notices so I think the timing is appalling," he said.

"We really do need to start to see the benefits of investment that is made in public transport systems and alternative modes of mobility before we start talking about introducing congestion charges."

He said the plan should be "discussed further down the line".

Earlier in March, the UK was found guilty by the European Court of Justice of "systematically and persistently" breaching air pollution limits.

The government has told 61 councils to cut pollution, including Liverpool City Council.

Analysis

By Claire Hamilton, BBC Merseyside political reporter

Liverpool declared a climate emergency in 2019 - but critics say the authority hasn't followed it up with any action.

This could be the first really radical change to try and improve the city's air quality.

Details of exactly which vehicles would have to pay any potential charge are yet to be published.

Car ownership is below the national average in Liverpool, but the response to this plan from some quarters suggests those who commute into the city centre by car would rather not have to pay extra to drive.

There are fears out of town shopping centres would benefit and a post-Covid city centre should be doing all it can to welcome visitors whatever their mode of travel.

Environmental campaigners say public transport in the city needs to be cleaner, greener and crucially cheaper to entice people out of their cars, and the perennial issue of how safe and appealing the city is for cyclists still looms large over every discussion about travel.