Nearly half of all applications from taxi drivers for grants to comply with Clean Air Zone regulations have been rejected. Bristol City Council confirmed that 45 percent of applications from cabbies had been turned down as “they did not meet the criteria for financial support”, in response to a freedom of information request by Bristol Live.
Around a fifth of applications from van and lorry owners had also been rejected, the enquiry revealed. The local authority confirmed that 19 percent of requests – many of which were for help replacing multiple LGVs or HGVs – had been turned down.
The new rules, which come into force on 28 November, will see older and more polluting vehicles charged to enter parts of the city centre. It is estimated that up to 75,000 cars, vans, buses and lorries will face the fees – thought to represent around three in every ten vehicles throughout the city.
