New measures to further improve air quality and protect Bath city centre and the wider World Heritage Site, including Cleveland Bridge, are to be considered by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s cabinet.

A report to cabinet before Christmas says since Bath’s Clean Zone was launched last March air quality in the city has improved, but still breaches national limits in a number of areas, including at sites around Cleveland Place. To tackle this, the report recommends that cabinet explores a variation to the Bath Clean Air Zone Charging Order 2021 so that all Euro VI diesel powered vehicles exceeding 12 tonnes become chargeable under the scheme.

It also recommends that the Council considers strengthening its transport policies should there be a need to go further to protect the amenity of the city, continue to improve air quality standards, reduce vehicular demand on road space, and respond to the climate and ecological emergencies.

Under the proposal vehicles weighing under 12 tonnes would remain

unaffected. In recognition of the considerable fleet

improvements already made by owners and operators of heavier HGVs, and to protect local businesses and their supply chains that have recently invested in Euro VI diesel vehicles, a time-

limited exemption is also being proposed.

If the variation to the Charging Order is approved, it would be subject to further feasibility work to develop and implement a workable scheme.