Bigger parking fees planned in Bath for polluting cars

Bath and North East Somerset Council wants to tackle air pollution with higher parking fees

The cost of parking in a pay-and-display car park in Bath and the surrounding area could soon be based on how polluting a car is.

Permits for residents' parking zones are already based on the emissions data or engine capacity of vehicles.

There is also a 25% surcharge on top for diesel cars.

Extending emissions based parking to Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) car parks is the authority's latest move to tackle pollution.

In 2021, the Clean Air Zone came into force with the aim of reducing the amount of nitrogen dioxide in Bath.

The pollutant was exceeding legal limits on several streets, according to the TLocal Democracy Reporting Service.

'Damaging impact'

The proposal to apply emissions based car parking is included in the budget, but does not say how much the charges would cost or when they would be introduced if approved.

Council cabinet member for resources at Bath and North East Somerset Council, Richard Samuel, said: "The more polluting the vehicle, the higher the parking charge you pay."

"Vehicle pollution has got seriously damaging impacts on health."

He added that there was a connection between air pollution and health, and said: "What's being done is trying to create a causal link between the emissions of your vehicle and the [fee] you pay."

Drivers could face higher pay and display fees if their car pollutes more than others

The price of parking in council car parks last increased in November, which was only the second rise in 12 years.

Pay-and-display charges mostly went up by 10p an hour in Bath but people with season tickets to the car parks saw a more dramatic increase, with one permit that allows 24 hour parking every day of the week increasing by almost £2,400.

Councillors will consider whether to approve emissions based parking charges on 21 February.