Campaigner calls for non-charging clean air zone

Bradford should adopt a non-charging clean air zone, a campaigner has said, calling the current system "unfair".

Amir Hussain said the current fees "burden" local businesses, adding that pollution travelled across council boundaries.

Bradford Council's Reform UK leadership has already pledged to scrap the zone charges, however the detail is yet to be determined and it faces potential legal hurdles.

Commercial vehicles that cause the most pollution are currently charged a daily fee to enter Bradford and parts of Shipley, with Hussain hoping to see a move to a model similar to other cities including York.

York's scheme is much narrower than Bradford Clean Air Zone (CAZ) as it only covers local buses entering the inner ring road area at least five times daily.

The buses must meet certain emission standards or be fully electric, with other vehicles not included in the rules.

About 340 people have signed Hussain's petition calling for a non-charging CAZ and a fresh consultation on the economic effects of the charges.

Hussain, who works in the education sector, said Bradford was "getting polluted from other cities" and was bearing an "unjust" proportion of the cost.

Bradford Council was ordered to improve the city's air quality by the then-Conservative government in 2018, with the CAZ launched in 2022.

Private cars and motorbikes are exempt, with non-compliant commercial vehicles paying between £7 and £50 daily.

Leeds officially scrapped its own CAZ charging scheme after air quality levels improved significantly.

The Bradford petition says the rules should not "burden the people who live and work in Bradford".

"Bradford's been killed off by this extra layer of charges and it's unfair," Hussain said.

Although he acknowledged research had shown the zone had caused a reduction in respiratory GP appointments, he pointed to the economic factors and feared the charges could be expanded to include private cars.

In June, the authority confirmed it was undertaking a "high-level review" of the CAZ.

However, opposition Labour and Green councillors questioned how a non-charging scheme would work and be funded.

The government says Bradford must demonstrate legal air quality levels for two years before a CAZ can be fully lifted.

Councillor Andrew Judson, Bradford Council's deputy leader and executive member for economy, regeneration and planning, said: "Our administration shares public concern that CAZ charges are bad for business and we are always exploring options to support our local economy.

"A high-level review into CAZ charges is already underway and we intend to make further announcements in due course."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.