Options which involve charging high-emission vehicles to drive into the centre of Bath, are under review after Bath and North East Somerset Council was asked take urgent action to reduce harmful nitrogen dioxide levels in the city.

Along with 27 other authorities, the Council is required by Government to take action in the shortest possible time and by 2021 at the latest. This requirement is part of the National Air Quality Action Plan.

No decisions have been made at this time but the Council is now legally bound to reach a decision on a preferred package of measures by December – and it is seeking people’s views.

According to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, air pollution is believed to be a contributory factor to some 40,000 premature deaths in the UK every year. There is also evidence that it can cause lung damage in babies and children, and contribute to lung and heart disease in older people.

So far the council has already assessed and drawn on more than sixty suggestions to improve air quality put forward by the public during a consultation on Bath’s air quality last year.

From this, it has drawn up a shortlist of three packages of measures which are capable of reducing vehicle emissions and bringing about the required improvement by the 2021 deadline. All three include a clean air charging zone in the centre of Bath, alongside a range of other measures to encourage greener modes of travel. Different types of vehicles would be charged under each of the three options.

A clean air charging zone means drivers of high-emission vehicles are charged when entering a specific geographic zone. The aim is to reduce air pollution and improve health. Revenue from the zone is used to run the scheme and any extra may be used to support greener modes of travel, depending on government decisions.

A small zone is being proposed for Bath in order to achieve the greatest benefit in terms of reducing air pollution across the city with the least impact on residents and the economy.

The Council is seeking views on the options and how they could best be introduced in order to maximise the air quality benefits, while minimising any effects on residents and economy, particularly on low income families and businesses. Suggestions include reduced cost of residents’ parking permits for low-emission vehicles; improved public transport facilities; better walking and cycling routes and making the bus lane on London Road permanent.

Details about costs, charging hours and which groups of high-emission vehicles will be affected will be modelled and considered following a series of public events being held over the coming months.

The Council does not set the criteria for the types of vehicles that will be charged, it is a national standard set by the Government, published in its Clean Air Zone Framework. Depending on the class of Clean Air Zone which is eventually agreed, the following non-compliant vehicles will be charged: pre-Euro 4 petrol engines (approx. pre-2006) and pre-Euro 6 diesel engines (approx. pre-2015).

Vehicles meeting Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel emission standards will be exempt, as will electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Other discounts and exemptions will be considered as part of the assessment process.

Responding to the proposals for a Clean Air Zone in Bath, the Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Labour Group, Councillor Robin Moss (Labour, Westfield) said: "The Labour Group welcomes this positive step towards cleaner air in Bath and North East Somerset. We have previously called for a Clean Air Zone in Bath, and we are glad to see that this now looks like it could become a reality. We will look very carefully at the three options before deciding which we view as best, but one option we could never choose is to do nothing. The health of our residents and the state of our environment is too important for any more delays."

To find out about an engine’s emission standard, people can use on online checker, but the council is recommending people contact their vehicle retailer or manufacturer to confirm.

To find out more go to www.bathnes.gov.uk/breathe, which will also have details of regular drop-ins and events.

The first drop-in event will be held at the bottom of Milsom Street on Monday, 9th April between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.