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Is Clean Air Zone enough to address Bristol’s public health crisis?
Tackling Bristol’s killer air pollution should not be done in isolation when it could tie in with solving other public health crises, say campaigners.
A Clean Air Zone is currently being drawn up to address the illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the city, where air pollution is responsible for 300 deaths each year.
Its remit is to make Bristol legally compliant in as short a timeframe as possible and is highly likely to bring in a charging congestion zone, which may or may not exclude cars.
is needed now More than ever
But cycle pressure groups argue that this approach will not go far enough to tackle the dangers posed by air pollution, and say more drastic action is needed that goes beyond just fulfilling Government requirements.
An increase in cycling has not had enough impact to bring down levels of NO2.
Speaking at a meeting of Bristol Cycle Forum on Thursday, Kate Cooke, of Women Cyclists of Bristol, said: “It’s very interesting to me that the Government cares about one public health crisis, but is ignoring others.
“There is an opportunity here for us to put all the data together across different public health topics, we could come up with much more comprehensive solution that would focus on active travel.
“It’s very disappointing to me this is looking at one aspect of public health without looking at other public health crises.”
It was pointed out that Government funding for the implementation of a Clean Air Zone came about because environmental lawyers ClientEarth kept taking ministers to court and suing them for failing to tackle killer levels of air pollution across the country.
Outlining plans for Bristol’s Clean Air Zone, Mark Leach, engagement officer on the project for Bristol City Council, said that the increase in cycling and walking across the city has not had enough impact in bringing down the levels of toxic NO2.
Graph showing the NO2 levels in Bristol.
He explained that the implementation of a large Clean Air Zone across the city has already been dismissed because it will take so long to put cameras in place, compliance could be reach quicker through a different approach.
Options currently on the table include proposals for small or medium-sized charging zones that would either affect all vehicles, or exempt cars. There is also the option of introducing a non-charging Clean Air Zone.
When challenged on why the council would not just implement the most drastic measures to tackle the problems, officers said that if a “less disruptive” solution will reach legal compliance in the same timeframe, this is the option that is likely to be adopted.
Campaigners argue that while the Clean Air Zone might encourage some people to leave their car at home, it would have “nowhere near the benefits of 20MPH limits”, which are currently under review.
One member of the cycle forum added: “This Clean Air Zone is not going to be nearly enough because it’s a compliance-led approach.
“But it could turn into a congestion zone later – it’s an opportunity to build on and it should be supported.”
Read more: Step towards tackling Bristol’s killer air pollution
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