Your say / Clean Air Zone
‘Bristol’s Clean Air Zone is just the start of our journey to a healthier city’
We’re now more than one year on from the introduction of Bristol’s Clean Air Zone. Air quality data recently released by the council shows that the zone is having a positive impact.
Harmful pollution is down by ten percent across Bristol and almost 13 per cent lower inside the zone.
The zone is also having an impact in places where it really matters. Outside the BRI and Children’s Hospital, nitrogen dioxide levels are down by around 20 per cent.
is needed now More than ever
Traffic is one of the biggest contributors to poor air quality in the UK. Pollution from burning diesel and petrol affects everyone’s health but the risks are greater for children, older people and those with heart, breathing and other underlying health conditions.
It also contributes to health inequalities with deprived communities often in areas with higher levels of pollution or near busy roads.
Birmingham introduced a similar zone in June 2021 and reported in October 2023 that pollution levels had dropped by almost 40 per cent.
Data from Bristol, Birmingham and London also shows that these types of zones can reduce the number of older and more polluting vehicles travelling within the boundaries and surrounding areas.
Bristol’s Clean Air Zone stretches from the Portway to the Three Lamps junction – map: Bristol City Council
But it’s not just exhaust emissions that create air pollution.
Particulate matter from tyre and brake wear is composed of tiny particles – so even if we switched all vehicles to electric, there would still be a damaging amount of very fine dust.
These particles are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and the World Health Organisation states there are no safe levels of exposure.
In 2020, Ella Kissi-Debrah from south London became the first person to have air pollution listed as a cause of death at an inquest in the UK, and her mother continues to campaign against air pollution.
Brunel Way is at the south-western edge of the Clean Air Zone – photo: Martin Booth
The Clean Air Zone on its own won’t clean up Bristol’s toxic air pollution.
58.7m journeys up to three miles are driven in the city each year. The only way to improve air quality on our streets and in our communities is to reduce the number of motor vehicles on our roads by making it easier, safer and more affordable for people to walk, wheel, cycle and use public transport for these shorter journeys.
Doing this will help make Bristol healthier and a more pleasant place to live, work and spend time in.
Reducing motor traffic would also make bus services quicker and encourage more people to use them.
This would result in the need for fewer car parking spaces which in turn, frees up more space for people to stop, chat and play, as well as for planting that can help green our streets and mitigate against the effects of extreme weather.
New seating has been installed as part of the Cotham Hill pedestrianisation scheme – photo: Martin Booth
Bristol residents want cleaner air. The city’s most recent Quality of Life survey found 77 per cent of residents think air quality and traffic pollution is a problem in the city.
Every day in Bristol, walking and cycling takes up to 140,000 cars off the road and we know people want to walk, wheel, cycle and use public transport more.
In 2021, Sustrans commissioned an independent survey of Bristol residents and found 68 per cent support building more cycle tracks physically separated from traffic and pedestrians, even when this would mean less room for other road traffic, and only 16 per cent oppose this.
At Sustrans, we are currently examining new survey data of how we travel in Bristol and what people think would make their neighbourhoods better for walking, wheeling and cycling.
We’ll release this data in the spring, but early indications are that support for more investment in public transport, walking and cycling remains high.
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The council has also announced it will invest the £81m of clean air zone revenue into improving public transport and making it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle.
Proposals include improving pavements and crossing points, introducing physically separated cycle lanes, and improving bus infrastructure and services.
And £10m will be kept aside for local neighbourhood transport schemes.
Sustrans welcomes these proposals which will breathe new life into our neighbourhoods and high streets.
Better environments for walking, wheeling and cycling are shown to encourage people to spend more time in local high streets and town centres working, shopping, and socialising.
Research by Living Streets found walking and cycling improvements can increase local retail spend by up to 30 per cent.
Bristol’s Clean Air Zone is just the start of our journey to a healthier city and improved quality of life for all.
Once introduced, these measures will reduce pollution further and could transform our car-dominated streets into places where walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport are the first choice for everyday short journeys.
This is an opinion piece by Ben Bowskill, the partnerships and public affairs manager for Sustrans in the West of England
Main photo: Martin Booth
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