The Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in Bradford is being delayed until Spring 2022, the Council announced yesterday.

However, despite the Council saying that the reason for the delay is to give businesses and taxi drivers more time to obtain a compliant vehicle, it has sparked debate among people in Bradford who have rushed to get a new vehicle in time for the proposed start date of January 5, 2022.

In many cases, business owners and taxi drivers have had to pay out for a new vehicle to adhere to the new restrictions, else they would face a £7 daily fee to drive in the zones.

To read about the delayed scheme, click here.

It was also announced that a new £1.7m fund has been made available for taxi owners, but taxi drivers have criticised the new scheme, as many have already experienced the stress of gathering the money for a new vehicle, and some who couldn't afford one, have already left the trade.

To find out about the new taxi fund, click here.

 

Here's what our readers had to say: 

Stuart Wightman, a self-employed electrician said: "I feel like I've been pressured into getting one before the scheme was due to go live. I've literally had the van three days and then they announce 14 days before it that it's all getting delayed. I didn't need that expense and pressure the week before Christmas.  I certainly wouldn't have been going into debt until next spring if I had known."

Marshal Wadington: "We've had over a year with not much traffic at all due to Covid .. and not many planes flying.. and if the air isn't cleaner now it never will be. All this will do is force traffic into other areas."

Asif Shah, Director of Baildon Taxis and Better Taxi Action Group said: “I don’t see how it’s going to benefit us, because we’ve already been put in the deep end with it. The drivers felt like they were compelled to buy these vehicles on this timeline and telling us two weeks before it was implemented was completely pointless. 

"A lot of people were struggling and decided to leave the trade because they couldn’t afford to pay out £10,000 for a new vehicle so I think it’s a little bit too late to extend it in the interest of the taxi drivers."

Oswaldo Jasper: "The Clean Air Zone has been imposed on the Council by the Government, but the implementation is down to the Council. However, it offers no solutions to air pollution.

The issue is there is no joined up thinking like what there is with the congestion zone in London, which has helped to reduce carbon emissions because public transport is much more reliabe, cheaper and generally more frequent than here in Yorkshire, which makes using public transport for short journey much more attractive."

Phil Ellis: "Need to remember if you run a ongoing business you have to comply with new regulations, the whole purpose of health and safety, that’s why majority of us are employees and not employers or self employed."

Mo Hassan: "It's ridiculous.. Leeds have delayed for years and now our city will do the same. And in the bigger picture.. electric cars have a much higher carbon footprint in production than a normal car.. so what difference do they make really. And then the cost of setting up charging station all over the country... the fuel and supplies wasted.. all have a carbon footprint. Seems a waste tbh."