Bradford's Clean Air Zone
Smoke and Wing Mirrors
There is confusion and anger in Bradford at the introduction of a Clean Air Zone (CAZ). This is from the council’s website: Instead of being introduced in January, the CAZ will be launched in Spring 2022. This will allow businesses more time to use the Clean Air Funding available and upgrade their vehicles.
In English: We’ve delayed it until after the local elections to stop us getting a big kicking.
Just why would Bradford plough on with a scheme that can only have a detrimental effect on already fragile local businesses? Government directed that Bradford should have a CAZ...Council has had a lot of positive feedback from businesses...there is a national shortage of compliant vans and lorries…
In other words blame the government, which is misleading. As for positive feedback, read this from a local haulier. ...it’s...a money maker for the councils. Over the last few years the costs for hauliers on inner city deliveries have increased no end. First came London Congestion charge then the LEZ then the Ultra LEZ and now we have just spent best part of £40,000 on camera systems to help protect cyclists...without...we cannot drive inside the M25 without paying a fine of £275 per day.
I would love a brand new fleet regardless of clean air zones but the cost of new vehicles just don’t allow this...I still run a couple of 10 year-old vehicles. These are due to be changed but trying to get the new vehicle is a nightmare...a 26 tonne rigid...on order since June...is still nowhere to be seen...
We have been awarded 3 grants of £16,000 each for new vehicles...these grants are much appreciated but 2 of the vehicles we are replacing cost £80000 each plus cost of livery £3000 plus a camera and tracker system at £2000....Hauliers are always an easy target when it comes to charges...we pick up the costs and then have to try push them on.
Here is a another from a small business. I work installing garden fencing...I use a diesel van registered in 2004. I live in Halifax, my supplier is in Bradford...they cater for my needs. There is no way I can get to my supplier without entering the zone. Some "advice" we were given was to have materials delivered to my job locations. This works well around 60% of the time. But In the real world it doesn't. Bits of the order are often missing...customers change their mind.
We have been told that businesses can have up to 3 vehicles that don't comply with the scheme, yet when I have tried to apply for exemption, when I put my home address of Halifax, I am redirected to the Calderdale website where I'm told computer says “no”. I think this whole scheme is a huge insult to hard working people.
Back to another local haulage business. The grants are helpful to upgrade older models....the zone...put pressure onto companies to make the whole fleet compliant rather than being able to gradually improve...There are still significant costs when having to upgrade...It’s not helpful that the Clean Air Zones have now been postponed and little information available...it now feels as though the rush of all this added expense and pressure to upgrade was unnecessary.
If cleaner air is the aim then justify plans to divert traffic from the main Keighley Road/Manningham Lane route into the centre onto the already gridlocked Canal Road? Why has the council also sat on a £300k government grant to explore a potential Shipley by-pass since April 2019? The government gave this funding with a request that it was completed in Autumn 2019. Surely emissions are at their peak in standing traffic? And explain reducing the busy Wakefield Road from three to two lanes for invisible cyclists?
An unintended consequence here is that this will pollute the outer areas as vehicles seek to avoid the charging zone - if they can - increasing fuel costs too. Those that still decide to trade in Bradford, that is. Another major source of frustration is the lack of guidance. Exemptions are available but the management of these appears chaotic. I have seen numerous cases where people are being left in limbo. Note too, exemptions only last for two years but will grants?
Imagine a small business with vehicles now effectively worthless facing the double-whammy of having to take on significant debt for replacements, assuming they can source? Note also this for future from the council website. Private passenger vehicles will never be charged. Politicians and claims not to raise taxes should always be avoided.
Here is another quote from business: The Government’s...strategy imposes charges on HGV vehicles which are not Euro V1 compliant. The road transport industry very much supports this objective. The strategy...is unrealistic and does not take into consideration commercial considerations for an industry which, for the most part (85%), is made up of small operators (1-20 trucks), who, even with a grant, cannot afford the investment; the average cost of a truck...between £85 - £100k.
...pre Euro V1 trucks...have been by default devalued and are almost worthless. The normal lifespan is 12 years. A staged approach to clean air zones (RHA study) showed the harmful NOx emissions, already to date reduced by over 50 %, would reach 80% reduction by 2025...if HGV operators are to be fined for entering low emission zones, the consequence could be fewer HGVs and more vans, resulting in more congestion and more emissions!
...the transport industry is the lifeblood of the UK economy, providing 98% of everything we eat, drink and consume; relied upon by supermarkets, fuel stations, schools, hospitals, consumers and industry...With most operators being SMEs surviving on less than 3% net margin, we could risk putting many SME’s out of business.
Here is a summary of the position of all parties standing on May 5th for Idle & Thackley. Conservatives - against: Greens: in favour: Labour - in favour: Lib Dems - in favour: Yorkshire Party - against. A Labour Party election leaflet claims Cllr Hinchcliffe has negotiated a great deal for Bradford. In Greater Manchester leaders believe they can comply without a charging scheme. In Leeds, it was scrapped in October 2020; Derby and Bristol are now on hold.
The Lib Dems claim air pollution is to blame for nearly 40,000 deaths each year...costing the NHS billions. This is confusing as deaths from obesity - 30,000 - are costed at only £500m (BMJ). So confident of CAZ are the Lib Dems there is no mention in their local election leaflet - why? The Greens have yet to surface locally to make their case.
Without doubt we should be doing all we can to improve people’s health but with a fair and accurate presentation of the facts. A tax is not the answer and councils are not legally compelled to charge. This is an ill-thought out reaction to a problem already being addressed by industry worldwide and improvements are being made at pace.
Ironically, few councillors have any business experience, yet they depend on businesses to generate jobs and incomes for the people they supposedly serve. That they are so clearly oblivious of the real impacts here is telling. The CAZ will damage Bradford businesses putting them at a competitive disadvantage to other nearby cities. Already struggling, Bradford centre could become a ghost town. Think hard on May 5th.






