Diesel vehicle drivers to face higher Bath parking charges

The fees will be set according to a car's emissions

A plan to charge extra to park the most polluting vehicles in Bath could raise £225,000 a year.

The increases are due to come into force in September, and will apply to all diesel vehicles.

Petrol vehicles that emit more than 131g of carbon dioxide per kilometre will also be charged more.

Electric vehicles and cleaner petrol cars will be exempt, but analysis by Bath and North East Somerset Council found 66% of drivers will pay more.

Parking fees will be set on a sliding scale, according to a vehicle's emissions or engine size.

Draft versions of new pay-and-display car park signs state that a two-hour stay will cost "£3.40 up to £4.60", reported the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The top rate will be for diesel vehicles producing more than 225g of CO2 per kilometre.

The details on the changes were published in a council report which is due to go before the council's Climate Emergency and Sustainability Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel on Thursday.

'Make other travel choices'

Information about drivers' engine will be sourced through the DVLA, meaning foreign-registered vehicles will always have to pay the top rate regardless of what their emissions actually are.

If the DVLA servers cannot be reached due to a system issue, all cars will be charged the lower rate.

The report states the charges aim to improve air quality, reduce congestion and encourage drivers to "make other travel choices where alternatives exist".

The price increases are only planned for the council's car parks within the city centre, not at any of the city's three park and rides or at Odd Down Coach Park.

Before they come into force, the charges will be subject to an online Traffic Regulation Order consultation between 6 to 27 July, allowing the public to make comments or object.

Emissions-based pricing is already used for residents parking permits, and is now planned for season tickets for inner city car parks.

The cost of a seven-day-per-week ticket for the Charlotte Street car park rose from £1,633 a year to £4,056 in November.

Come September, that ticket could cost £5,172 for the most polluting diesel vehicles.

The council has said the increased cost will initially be limited to new customers.