Bradford ask public for views on potential Clean Air Zone

Bradford Council has launched an online survey to gauge the public’s opinion of a potential Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in the city.

In October last year, Bradford Council was instructed by the government to develop a plan which assesses a range of interventions to reduce pollution ‘in the shortest possible time.’

As well as consulting on the proposals for a CAZ, the council is looking at how they can financially support businesses and residents to increase the adoption of ultra-low emission vehicles, raising awareness of air pollution and increasing awareness of actions that individuals can take.

Figures released by insurance company Admiral last month revealed that Bradford has one of the slowest growth rates for EV sales in the whole country.

The city saw an 11% increase in EV registrations in 2018. Cardiff (156%), Oxford (155%) and Bristol (154%) saw the greatest rise in registrations during that time.

Cllr Sarah Ferriby, portfolio holder for Healthy People and Healthy Places, said: ‘It is important we hear the opinions of people across the district, so we can work with businesses, communities and residents to find ways of improving the air quality.

‘The council is already working on improving the transport infrastructure and developing a strategic plan with the government,

‘But air pollution is also everyone’s responsibility and we need to know how we can help people make better choices when it comes to air quality.’

The public consultation will help shape the preparation of the Final Business Case (FBC), due for submission in early 2020.

In related news, Bradford has become one of the first places in the UK to monitor air quality using high-tech public phone boxes.