The Clean Air Zone will now be launching towards the end of the year, Bristol City Council has said. The council has also confirmed that it has asked the Government for an extension to the temporary exemption period.
Earlier this week, mayor Marvin Rees said that the launch of the CAZ will likely be delayed yet again due to a “national issue with bus lanes”. The Clean Air Zone was initially due to come into force in October last year, but has faced repeated delays.
Recently it was expected to be launched this September, but this will now likely be pushed back again due to a change in regulations on bus lanes. Mr Rees said the city council has done “everything we can” and blamed Westminster for the delays.
Read more: Bristol’s Clean Air Zone launch date faces delay due to ‘national issue with bus lanes’
However, BristolLive understands that regulations enabling councils to apply for the legal authority to enforce moving traffic contraventions came into force on May 31, 2022 - but that these regulations are not related to Clean Air Zones. Under the new regulations, local authorities may now apply to the Secretary of State to be granted the powers through a "designation order. However, BristolLive understands these regulations are not related to Clean Air Zones and will not affect the way they operate.
The council has now said that the change in traffic enforcement regulations has meant work programmes have had to be adjusted for the zone to meet the new legislation from the government. A spokesperson for Bristol City Council said: “The city was on track to introduce the zone in late summer but a recent Government change to national traffic enforcement regulations has meant work programmes have had to be adjusted for the zone to meet the new legislation from the government.
“The council is working with Government and its contractors to agree a start date for when the zone will start operating. We are working to a start date towards the end of the year.
"We have also asked Government for an extension to the temporary exemption period for those who are eligible to reflect any revised launch date."
At present, temporary exemptions for the Clean Air Zone are due to be in place until the end of 2022 for certain eligible groups such as residents in the zone, people working within the zone and earning less than £26,000 a year as well as Blue Badge holders. Patients and visitors attending hospitals in the zone would also be covered by the exemptions.
Under the Clean Air Zone, charges would be set at £9 a day for smaller vehicles and £100 for larger vehicles. Bristol City Council is legally required to introduce measures to cut harmful air pollution from vehicles driving in the city centre.
"The council is otherwise on track to launch the Clean Air Zone as soon as possible and meet government targets for air pollution in 2023, five years earlier than previous proposals," the council added. "Test cameras have recently been successfully installed and the remaining cameras will go up in July and August. Motorists will also start seeing signs for the zone across the city from next month.
“The change to national traffic enforcement regulations is taking place across the whole parking sector and has affected suppliers, councils and parking providers nationwide. The changes not being implemented correctly would mean that parking Penalty Charge Notices are not legal.
"The regulation change has required suppliers, councils and parking providers to make changes to systems, statutory documents, challenge letters and representation letters.”
