Crowds take to Bradford city centre streets for CAZ protest

A PROTEST against the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) and the creation of 15-minute neighbourhoods was held in Bradford city centre today.

Around 100 people gathered in Centenary Square outside City Hall at 12pm with signs and leaflets created by organisers, Campaign Against CAZ Tax in Bradford.

Centenary Square, outside City Hall, was the meeting point (Image: Newsquest)

A message-laden double-decker bus then followed the procession onto the streets of the city centre.

Followed by a couple of police officers, crowds walked along Market Street to Upper Piccadilly and John Street then back down Westgate to City Park.

Leading the parade, Matthew Betts was blurting out "say no to Bradford Clean Air Zone, private cars will be next" on a megaphone.

Matthew Betts led the protest with the 'No CAZ bus' following from behind (Image: Newsquest)

Speaking to the T&A, he said: "We all want clean air but we are not going the right about doing it. 

"I am fighting for the people. There is no personal gain for me.

"This does not affect me, I don’t have to pay to get into Bradford but I see struggling businesses.

"People are getting fined through the door, so the campaign is accelerating.

"As a team, we are not against clean air, just targeting certain individuals."

The group campaigned heavily to stop the CAZ charge in Bradford before it was implemented in September 2022.

One of the signs on show (Image: Newsquest)

Paul Thomas and Dave Oxley came from Leeds and Shipley to join the peaceful protest.

The former said: "We wanted to join the protest because these things are being rolled out across the country.

"Solidarity against the anti-car agenda whether that be CAZ or the 15-minute zones.

"I do not know how much cleaner you can get and what benefits they think it is going to give people."

Dave said: "Bradford Council need to listen to people in the area.

"The Council do not seem to be listening to local business owners."

A couple of police officers walked alongside the peaceful protest (Image: Newsquest)

One small business owner from Idle said: "I don’t think Bradford Council should be charging businesses who go through the CAZ zone.

"We should be like other cities that don’t charge and instead use other methods.

"The money should be invested in having cleaner buses and helping local businesses out with cleaner vehicles.

"I would rather go shopping anywhere but BD1 because you know you are going to be hit with a charge. It is ridiculous."

Earlier today, Clean Air Bradford and the Bradford-Shipley Travel Alliance both said they strongly support CAZ as a contributor to improving the health of all citizens in the city.