Portsmouth City Council has launched a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) consultation to seek views on how the zone will operate.
The UK government has issued ministerial directions to a growing number of cities across the country requiring them to create CAZs to achieve cleaner air in the fastest possible time.
Portsmouth is regarded as having a problem with air pollution in certain areas of the city, despite the temporary reduction in traffic volumes and lower air pollution levels during lockdown.
As such, the government still requires the introduction of a charging CAZ in Portsmouth by the end of 2021 to address the problem.
Cllr Dave Ashmore, cabinet member for environment and climate change, said: “The government-funded Clean Air Zone is not our preferred solution to the air pollution problem.
“However, we are required to do this so we are making sure we do this in the best possible way by giving everybody the opportunity to have their say on how it will operate and those impacted can tell us their views on how funding support can be shared fairly.”
The ministerial direction for Portsmouth states that the council is required to implement a zone that will charge older more polluting HGVs, taxis and public hire vehicles, buses and coaches, to travel in an area to the south west of the city.
However, according to Portsmouth City Council, the coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on the economy, and many businesses may not be able to replace their vehicles as quickly as the previous research suggested.
In order to achieve legal limits by 2022, the government may impose a Class C Clean Air Zone, meaning that older more polluting vans would also be charged.
Ashmore added: “We have included questions for owners of light goods vehicles in case government changes zone requirements.
“However, I appreciate this may be devastating for many small businesses recovering from lockdown if they started being charged next year.
“This is why we are seeking views from drivers of light goods vehicles now.
“If government makes this change we will have the evidence to support our case for securing as much funding as possible to help people with the most polluting vehicles to change to cleaner types and not be faced with the CAZ charge.”
The Clean Air Zone forms part of the council’s draft Local Transport Plan, which focuses on making the city cleaner, greener and safer.
This year the council is also bidding for additional funding to improve active travel in Portsmouth, installing additional EV charge points on residential streets and improving the connectivity of cycle routes.
Read more from CiTTi
https://www.cittimagazine.co.uk/portsmouth-instructed-to-submit-clean-air-zone-plan-by-november/
