Bath Air Quality plan could send more traffic our way

Bath and NE Somerset council have been told by the government to do something about air pollution in the city, so they're intending to implement a Clean Air Charging Zone (CAZ).

In 2012 a scheme to close Cleveland Bridge to lorries was rejected by the government after an appeal by Wiltshire Council, and in 2014 Bath looked at the feasibility of a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in the city.

The latest proposal is likely to go ahead because this time the government is supporting and funding the project.

The CAZ could cover just vehicles such as lorries and buses, or it could be extended to include higher-emission cars - essentially pre-2006 petrol and pre-2015 diesel cars.

The danger is that chargeable through traffic, especially lorries, will divert onto roads through Wiltshire, with our area in the front line.

BaNES are due to publish their detailed proposals by December, with implementation by 2021 at the latest.

The EU limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is 40 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³). NO₂ is seen as the main pollutant from traffic, and many parts of Bath regularly exceed that level.

"Bath undoubtedly has a pollution problem," said local councillor Trevor Carbin, "But as we established the last time they tried it's not acceptable for one local authority to solve its problems at a neighbouring area's expense."

There are more details on BaNES website at http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/bath-breathes-2021 .