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Drivers of older cars and vans could be charged £9 to enter the centre of Bath from the end of 2020.

Bath and North East Somerset Council has set out its plans for a clean air zone - revealing which city centre streets will be included and how much motorists will have to pay to enter.

It has also given details of which vehicles will be liable for the charge - which is expected to raise up to £12million a year in 2021.

The council released detailed plans for the zone on Tuesday (October 16) and is running a consultation until November 26.

The results will be considered by cabinet members on December 18.

How much is the charge?

The council is proposing to charge:

£9 for higher emission, non-compliant cars, taxis and LGVs/vans

£100 for higher emission, non-compliant buses, coaches and HGVs

When will it apply?

Charges would apply once in every 24-hour period (midnight to midnight) when entering or driving in the zone. This would apply 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

If your vehicle is parked in the zone and does not move, you would not pay the charge.

Drivers of non-compliant vehicles will be required to voluntarily pay using an online system.

Where will they apply?

The council has released a revised map of the clean air zone.

(Image: Crown Copyright.)

It says it has been amended to take account of residents’ views, and has been carefully drawn to reduce opportunities for short cuts.

Is my vehicle 'higher emission'?

Vehicles that will have to pay the charge are:

Pre-Euro 6 diesel vehicles, including hybrids (older than approx. 2015)

Pre-Euro 4 petrol vehicles, including hybrids (older than approx. 2006)

Newer vehicles and fully electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will not be charged.

What will happen to the money?

Income from charges is estimated to reach £12 million in 2021.

The money will be used to repay a loan to set up the clean air zone and improve green infrastructure.

The council says the proposed charges are not designed to raise income, but to make the required air quality and health improvements by 2021 at the latest.

Proceeds will be used to fund green alternatives like extending the hours of its park and ride facilities, improved cycle parking and more electric vehicle charging points.

Why is the council doing this?

Government has ordered B&NES Council to improve air quality in the city as quickly as possible, and by 2021 at the latest.

It will be fined if it does not comply.

The legal limit for nitrogen dioxide is 40 microgrammes per cubic metre but in some areas, like London Road and Lower Bristol Road, that figure is as high as 68.

The council said it considered only charging selected higher-emission vehicles to enter the clean air zone but modelling showed everything from cars to coaches had to be included to hit the target.

Monitoring shows that buses and coaches are responsible for nearly a third of the nitrogen dioxide in Bath.

For diesel cars and vans the figure is 41 per cent.

poll loading Is a £9 charge fair? 2000+ VOTES SO FAR Yes- we need to clean up Bath's air No - I've got no choice and I can't afford £9 a day

How much will the clean air zone cost?

It is expected to cost £12million to set up the network of automatic number plate recognition cameras to monitor vehicles in the clean air zone.

What will happen to the number plate data collected by the council?

Councillor Bob Goodman, cabinet member for development and communities, said there were no plans to give any other agency, like the police, access to the technology.

Will it cause more congestion outside the zone?

The council says its assessments show that the majority of roads outside of the zone would not see an increase in traffic, but would see an in improvement in air quality.

It says: "Some roads outside of the zone might see a slight increase in traffic only, but these would be closely monitored and any problems would be addressed through traffic management."

(Image: Bath Chronicle / SWNS.com)

What about buses, lorries and taxis?

The council has also been consulting with bus and HGV companies and is looking at accessing Government funding to bring them up to standard.

Taxi drivers have voiced concerns about how quickly the clean air zone is being implemented, because many have contracts of up to five years on their cars.

A “sunset period” means they will not have to comply until 2022.

What does the council leadership say?

Leader Tim Warren said it is a “once in a lifetime” chance to improve the air quality in the city.

He said: “I would be disappointed if the other parties didn’t support improving the air quality.

“This should have been done back in Roman times. This is the first time we’ve been able to access Government funding.

“It’s about having the support and the money to do it.

“This isn’t a legacy issue - it needs to be done."

Has the council considered the impact on residents and businesses?

Mr Goodman said: “There is no doubt this proposal would have an impact on residents driving higher emission vehicles and businesses, and we want to strike a balance with a package that can deliver clean air as soon as possible, while supporting residents and business in making the transition to a cleaner, greener local economy.

“We cannot achieve this alone. If people want sustainable health improvements for future generations, we have to consider this option, which would bring about a reduction in harmful emissions, and along with other measures help make Bath a clean and green city.”

Mr Goodman said he had a personal desire to pedestrianise as much of the public realm as possible.

Can I have a say?

The clean air zone is still at the detailed proposal stage so far and the council is inviting people to respond to the consultation if they have concerns or other ideas - like discounts for city centre residents.

The council is staging a series of drop-in events so people can learn more about its proposals.

The full consultation dates are as follows:

Wednesday 17th October Kaposvar Guildhall, Bath 4 - 8 pm

Wednesday 24th October Aix en Provence Guildhall, Bath 4 - 8 pm

Saturday 27th October Keynsham Community Space 10 am - 2 pm

Wednesday 31st October Brunswick, Guildhall, Bath 4 - 8 pm

(Image: Artur Lesniak/Reach Plc)

Wednesday 7th November Midsomer Norton Town Hall 4 - 8 pm

Saturday 10th November Brunswick room, Guildhall, Bath 10 am - 2 pm

Wednesday 14th November, Widcombe Social Club, 4 - 8 pm

Wednesday 21st November, Widcombe Social Club, 4-8pm

Saturday 24th November, Brunswick room, Guildhall, Bath 10am-2pm

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