Agenda item

A cover report is attached. There will be a presentation at the meeting.

(Note: This item was postponed from the 7^th June meeting of the Panel.)

The Clean Air Zone (CAZ) Team Manager introduced this item to the Panel and gave a presentation. A summary is set out below.

Preparation for the CAZ launch

•  Over 8000 early warning letters were issued to drivers of non-compliant vehicles driving within the CAZ prior to launch

•  9500 businesses were contacted via telemarketing company to raise awareness of the launch and the financial help available

•  Core scheme ANPR cameras and software tested extensively with government teams

•  Financial assistance scheme was promoted and a surge in applications was received

CAZ Mitigations

•  A bus upgrade programme with a view to achieving a fully compliant scheduled bus fleet operating in Bath.  From our modelling this is a key deliverable to achieving compliance

•  A financial assistance scheme providing grants and interest free loans to businesses, individuals and community groups to upgrade non-compliant vehicles.  Upgrade rates have exceeded expectations and we are seeking more funding from central government

•  A package of exemptions that support vital services, disadvantaged groups and those with hard-to-replace vehicles, along with a means-tested general exemption as part of the financial assistance scheme

CAZ launch- 15 March 2021

•  There were no technical issues on the day of launch

•  B&NES and JAQU (Joint Air Quality Unit) teams collaborated well and there were regular, daily check-ins during the first 2 weeks of the scheme going live

•  Ongoing discussions between central government and Wiltshire Council on traffic and air quality monitoring

Ongoing support post CAZ launch

•  A period of ‘soft enforcement’ has taken place where only the zone entry charge has been collected

•  Support and flexibility for vehicle owners affected by business rule changes which lead some vehicles (mainly vans and motorhomes) to change from a status of compliant to non-compliant

•  Sought clarity about the compliance status of M1 motorhome vehicles which will now be exempted from charges

Initial statistics following launch

•  Initially, approximately 32,000 vehicles were travelling in the CAZ each day (not including locally exempt vehicles) and older, diesel LGV’s represent the largest category of non-compliant, chargeable vehicles which have a disproportionate impact on air quality

•  In total the financial assistance scheme has received 2080 expressions of interest, of which 1650 vehicles have proceeded to having a telematics device fitted. Of those, 743 owners proceeded to apply for finance and 625 are currently recording telematic data. 506 vehicles have been approved for upgrade and drivers are in the process of taking ownership of their vehicles in the coming months

•  Since launch over 28,000 PCN’s have been issued, although a number of these will have been waived due to issues such as the business rule change, and these issues have now been resolved; typically, 25% relate to vehicle owners within B&NES and over 54,000 zone entry charges have been paid 

•  There is an emerging downward trend in the number of vehicle entrants which are subject to a CAZ charge which suggests an increasing level of compliance with the scheme

Evidence of changing behaviour

Ipsos Mori has been commissioned by government to complete surveys with businesses, before and after the CAZ launch in Bath.  Initial results show:

•  Awareness of the CAZ has increased; by March 2021 over 70% of businesses knew a great deal or fair amount about the CAZ; this is an increase from approx. 50% in Nov/Dec 2020

•  More businesses support the CAZ than oppose it

•  Most businesses understand that the CAZ is introduced to improve air quality but there is a misconception that it will generate income for the Council

Initial reflections following launch

•  The financial assistance scheme has been a key element of delivering a successful launch and provides additional air quality benefit; incentivisation is necessary alongside enforcement

•  After 3 months, we continue to have challenging conversations with certain groups to build understanding, but the emerging impression is that the scheme is becoming ‘business as usual’ for the public

Monitoring and Evaluation

•  There will be monitoring and evaluation of a range of measures, including air quality, relating to the first 3 months of the scheme.  This will be published on the Council’s webpages https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/bath-clean-air-zone around late Summer.

•  Whilst very few vehicle movements are actually impacted by the CAZ restrictions, there has been a general increase in traffic levels as restrictions have lifted and increases in working from home and home deliveries have meant an increase in vehicle movements in residential areas, we continue to monitor traffic levels across the road network and publish the results of these surveys

Next steps…

•  Full enforcement of the scheme, including non-UK vehicle enforcement

•  Bringing forward other mitigation packages including Only Mile Delivery schemes

•  Further updates will be provided to the Panel as the scheme progresses

Councillor Lisa O’Brien asked how the Council can enforce charges on non-UK vehicles.

The Clean Air Zone Team Manager replied that a third party managed this on behalf of the Council.

Councillor Lisa O’Brien asked if any thoughts had been given to the voluntary retrofitting of domestic vehicles.

The Clean Air Zone Team Manager replied that there would need to be a discussion on how this could be facilitated – possibly with Government funding.

Councillor Sarah Warren, Cabinet Member for Climate and Sustainable Travel commented that CAZ was a very well managed project and that she would look into the possibility of a retrofitting project.

Councillor Shelley Bromley asked if other areas of the Council could be included in a CAZ.

The Clean Air Zone Team Manager replied that it would be timelier to have that discussion in around 12 months and that a proper consultation would be required on any amendments / additions.

Councillor Joanna Wright asked whether on street electric vehicle charging points are being considered to assist those businesses that have upgraded / purchased such vehicles.

The Clean Air Zone Team Manager replied that she believed information on this issue was to be presented to the Cabinet in the coming months and would try to find out further details for the Panel.

Councillor Joanna Wright asked if the Council were working with WECA on possible future Clean Air Zones locally.

The Clean Air Zone Team Manager replied that they are in regular discussions with Bristol & South Gloucestershire Councils so that broad alignment of Zones is sought.

Councillor Dr Yukteshwar Kumar commented that in his ward of Bathwick there are several areas and roads where NO₂ exceeds the EU and national legal limit of 40 ?g/m³ as acknowledged by the officers, with the main roads being Bathwick Street and Pultney Street.

He added that Cleveland Bridge is the main conduit for linking A36 and A46 and to some extent the main culprit for this pollution too. He asked if the closure of Cleveland Bridge permanently for HGVs over 18 tonnes could be considered to protect our lives, the lives of our progeny and giving a better environment to our city.

The Clean Air Zone Team Manager replied that Cleveland Bridge is within the Zone, but that closure of it was not within the scope of the scheme.

Councillor Dr Yukteshwar Kumar commented that some of his residents were complaining that though their property is confirmed by the online CAZ system to not be in the Zone the department running the scheme were sending penalty charges to traders who have come to do work in their properties.

The Clean Air Zone Team Manager replied that she was aware that this boundary anomaly was being looked into.

Councillor Ryan Wills commented that it was good to see the support for the Zone through the Ipsos Mori survey but asked if it was known whether the businesses that replied were inside or outside of the Zone.

The Clean Air Zone Team Manager replied that she was not aware of that information. She added that the team were committed to providing updates on the project on a quarterly basis.

Councillor Joel Hirst commented that the focus of the project should remain on health. He asked if the quarterly update would include data relating to traffic displacement and when it would be likely to see that the Zone is doing what we hope it will.

The Clean Air Zone Team Manager replied that some baseline data is available and that this will continue to be monitored over the next six months to see if trends continue. She added that investigations will be carried out if this differs from what is expected.

The Chair thanked the Clean Air Zone Team Manager and her team on behalf of the Panel for the work they have done so far and for the presentation.

The Panel RESOLVED to note the progress made as set out in the presentation.