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English Clean Air Zones raise £150m
15 July 2024
A recent investigation by the BBC found that Clean Air Zones (CAZs) in England had raised more than £150million as of December 31 2023.
The zones, intended to reduce pollution by repelling drivers with daily entry charges have been operational throughout the country since 2021.
Currently, there are CAZs in Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside. Collectively, these zones have raised the impressive sum in charges and fines.
The Ultra Low Emission Zone in London, which has been operational since 2019, has raised an additional £163 million.
Many people are curious as to where the money generated by these zones go. This is what the BBC has found:
Investment in sustainable transport
Local authorities in England are required by law to reinvest leftover earnings from Clean Air Zones into local transport plans. Bristol City Council estimates that by the end of the 2023/24 financial year, it invested more than £6.6m in repairs and improvements to its roads and footpaths to encourage pedestrians and reduce traffic congestion.
Bradford Metropolitan District Council says it used £1.7million of the proceeds from its CAZ scheme to fund transport improvements such as a ‘greener’ vehicle fleet for the council and an electric vehicle charging network.
Bath and North-East Somerset Council reportedly spent £30,000 on bike hangars to encourage people to cycle rather than drive.
Clean Air initiatives for schools
Bradford council allocated £1.1m to a Clean Air Schools Program, providing funding to schools for on-site emissions reduction measures and projects such as alternative travel, air filtration systems and natural green screens that use plants to protect play areas.
Bath and North-East Somerset council injected £250,000 into a School Streets Pilot scheme to enhance air quality and reduce traffic during school drop off and pick up times.
Operational costs
The estimated cost to deliver the latest London ULEZ expansion is between £145-£155million.
Newcastle City Council and Portsmouth City Council reported that all earnings from their respective zones have been used to cover running cost to date.
Some local authorities also reserve money to decommission zones once they are no longer needed as a nationwide shift towards emissions-compliant vehicles is anticipated.
Contract hire and fleet management specialists
We at Marshall Leasing are interested in the latest news about Clean Air Zones, and we trust you find this information interesting.
If you would like to find out more about how you could benefit from our all-inclusive fleet management offering, please get in touch with our team of experts by emailing info@marshall-leasing.co.uk or calling 01480 414541. We will be delighted to assist.
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