BRADFORD Councils plans to introduce a Clean Air Zone have scooped a national award.

The Clean Air Plan saw Bradford win the Climate Response category at the Local Government Chronicle awards on Thursday evening.

The Clean Air Plan will see the most polluting commercial vehicles charged to enter the new Clean Air Zone - which will include the city centre and parts of Shipley and is being introduced next year.

It came after a Government order to reduce the illegal levels of pollution in parts of the District.

Vans, HGVs, taxis and buses that do not meet the Clean Air Zone standards, will be charged up to £50 a day to enter the zone, and businesses are offered grants to upgrade their vehicles.

Welcomed by health experts, the plan has proved controversial with many businesses.

Bradford Council beat Birmingham City Council, Calderdale Council, Cheshire East Council, Cornwall Council, Durham County Council, Hammersmith and Fulham LBC, Kent County Council, Midlothian Council and South Tyneside Council to nab the award.

Calls to scrap planned Clean Air charges in Bradford are defeated

Bradford Council was also highly commended in two categories.

The Stronger Communities, Bradford for Everyone Ambassador Programme came highly commended in the Community Involvement category. The work aims to create equal access to employment and opportunities, education, housing, health, leisure and ‘life opportunities.’

The Breaking the Cycle project, which helps draw vulnerable young people in the District away from a life of crime, came highly commended in the Innovation category.

Breaking the Cycle works with teens groomed for serious crime

Kersten England, Chief Executive, said: “To win one award and be highly commended in two other categories is testament to the way our staff have continued to work hard and deliver vital services to improve and transform the lives of people from across the Bradford district and all our communities.”